How to Check Pokémon Card Centering
Centering describes how evenly the printed design sits within the card’s outer edges. It is one part of condition assessment, alongside corners, edges and surface.
Take a straight-on photograph
Place the card flat against a plain background and hold the camera parallel to it. Leave all four edges visible. Perspective can make one border look wider than it is; a tilted photo is not a reliable measurement.
Identify both sets of borders
CardNomi automatically looks for the physical card edges and a consistent printed border on each side. No guide placement is needed. Full-art, borderless and unusual designs may not have a clear inner boundary, so an exact measurement may not be possible.
Calculate horizontal and vertical balance
For left/right centering, divide the left border width by the combined left and right widths. The remaining percentage is the right side. For example, borders measuring 3 units and 2 units give 60/40. Repeat with the top and bottom borders. Equal widths give 50/50.
Check the reverse separately
Do not assume the front and back share the same balance. Capture and measure the reverse separately, and label which side each result describes. A grader may use different front and reverse guidelines.
Treat the measurement as one observation
A well-centered card can still have damaged corners, edges or surface. Automatic photo ratios are approximate visual estimates, not laboratory measurements or an overall grade. Use them to document a visible feature, then complete the rest of your inspection.
Read the grading companies’ own guidance
For submission decisions, review current standards directly: PSA grading standards, TAG’s rubric, Beckett grading, and CGC’s scale.