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SGC 8.5: centering requirements

From SGC’s own grading scale as captured on 2026-09-17 (gosgc.com blocks automated reading). Checked 2026-09-17. Official page.

8.5 NM-MT+: 65/35 front

“65/35 or better centering, four sharp corners*.”

Measure your card against this line →

Either side of it

On the front line alone, a worst axis worse than 60/40 and up to 65/35 meets the 8.5 NM-MT+ line but not the 9 Mint line. Ratio pages: 65/35.

SGC, every grade

GradeFrontBack
10 Pristine50/50—
10 Gem55/45—
9.5 Mint+——
9 Mint60/40—
8.5 NM-MT+65/35—
8 NM-MT65/35—
7.5 NM+70/30—
7 NM70/30—
6 EX-MT75/25—
5 EX80/20—
4 VG-EX85/15—
3 VG90/10—
2 Good90/10—
1.5 Fair90/10—
1 Poor——

Questions

What centering does SGC require for an 8.5?

8.5 NM-MT+: 65/35 front. As published: "65/35 or better centering, four sharp corners*."

How much better does centering have to be for an SGC 9?

9 Mint needs 60/40 front, against 65/35 front for 8.5 NM-MT+.

Which centering ratios reach exactly an SGC 8.5?

On the published front lines alone, a worst axis worse than 60/40 and up to 65/35 meets the 8.5 NM-MT+ line but not the 9 Mint line. Of the ratios with their own page: 65/35. Corners, edges and surface can only hold or lower the grade.

How is the ratio measured?

Compare the two borders on each axis: a card whose left border is 57% of left plus right is 57/43. Services judge the worse axis, front and back separately. SlabbyPrep reads both from a photo and shows each border to a hundredth of a millimetre; on synthetic test photos, 97% of the readings it shows without a warning are within 1 percentage point (the methodology page has the full results).

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