Trading Card Grading & Certification

Frequently asked

Cards · Singles & Sealed questions, answered.

What scale do you use?

We use a 10-point scale: 1 (Poor) through 10 (Gem Mint). A 'Pristine 10' designation is reserved for cards achieving perfect 10 subgrades across centering, corners, edges, and surface. We also use a 'Half-Point' system (e.g., 9.5) to bridge the gap between grades.

Do you publish subgrades?

Yes. Every single-card submission receives four subgrades — centering, corners, edges, surface — printed directly on the certificate and recorded in the permanent Xene registry entry.

What centering tolerance do you require for Gem Mint?

For a Gem Mint 10, we require 55/45 or better on both axes for front centering, and 75/25 or better on the back. For a Pristine 10, centering must be as close to 50/50 as possible (within 52/48 tolerance).

How do you grade sealed product?

Sealed boxes, ETBs, and packs are weighed, measured, and examined under raking light for seal integrity. Specialist-tier submissions include X-ray analysis to confirm internal contents match factory specifications without breaking the seal.

Will you cross-grade PSA, BGS or CGC cards?

Yes. Cards are removed from their existing holders in our atelier, examined raw, and regraded against Xene's strict standards. The original holder is returned to you. Cross-grading allows for a unified collection under Xene's Lloyd's-backed guarantee.

What about factory-printed defects?

Print lines, ink dots, and roller marks are not 'damage' in the sense of wear, but they do cap the surface subgrade. A card with a significant print line cannot achieve a Surface 10, though it may still reach a high overall grade.

How do you detect trimmed or altered cards?

We measure dimensions against known factory specifications to 0.1 mm. We also use 30x microscopy to examine edges for 'smoothness' or 'feathering' that indicates non-factory cutting or trimming.

What is the Xene Registry?

The Registry is a public-facing database where every Xene-certified card is listed. You can look up a card's subgrades, population data (how many others exist at that grade), and high-resolution images by its unique serial number.

Do you grade oversized or non-standard cards?

Yes, we have custom holders for 'Cabinet' cards, oversized box toppers, and tobacco-size cards. These are graded with the same subgrade rigor as standard 2.5 x 3.5 inch cards.

Is the holder UV-resistant?

Yes. Xene holders are manufactured from optical-grade acrylic with integrated UV-inhibitors that block over 99% of harmful ultraviolet light, preventing ink fade over time.

How do you handle 'Error' cards?

Miscuts, wrong backs, and significant printing errors are authenticated and labeled with the error type. We reference standard variety guides for TCG and sports cards to ensure accurate cataloging.

What is your turnaround time for bulk submissions?

Our Economy tier for bulk (10+ items) typically takes 60 days. For faster service, Standard (30 days) and Express (10 days) tiers are available for any submission size.

Recent case notes

From the cards · singles & sealed bench.