[Guides](https://cardinal-app.ai/guides/) # CGC Pristine 10 vs Gem Mint 10: what's the difference? CGC has two 10s. A Pristine 10 is a virtually flawless card to the naked eye with 50/50 centering and flawless colour and registration, and gets its own label. A Gem Mint 10 is a card where one of those criteria falls short of Pristine — for example, centering up to about 55/45 on the front. Below them, CGC also gives a 9.5 (Mint+), a grade PSA doesn't have. Updated 2026-10-18 · Standards from cgccards.com · Prices from the Cardinal catalog as of 2026-10-16 Side by side ## Pristine 10, Gem Mint 10 and Mint+ 9.5. | | Pristine 10 | Gem Mint 10 | |---|---|---| | Overall | Virtually flawless to the naked eye | One criterion doesn't meet Pristine | | Centering | 50/50 | About 55/45 front; back not to exceed 75/25 | | Corners | Flawless | Perfect to the naked eye; Mint+ under 10× magnification | | Surface | Flawless colour and registration | Free of print spots | | Label | Special Pristine label | Standard label | CGC's older "Perfect 10" is retired; cards that earned it keep it. What they sell for ## The value of each step. Across the most valuable Pokémon cards in the Cardinal catalog, a CGC Gem Mint 10 typically sells for **2.1×** a CGC 9.5 (530 cards), while a 9.5 sells for **1.1×** a 9 (541 cards). Pristine 10 prices are not part of this data, which compares Gem Mint 10s. Against PSA, a CGC Gem Mint 10 typically sells for **21%** of a PSA 10 on the same cards (690 cards). See [PSA vs CGC](https://cardinal-app.ai/guides/psa-vs-cgc/) for the full comparison. Sources - CGC grading scale: [cgccards.com](https://www.cgccards.com/card-grading/grading-scale/) - CGC holder and label: [cgccards.com](https://www.cgccards.com/card-grading/holder-label/) ## Is yours a 10? Scan it for a pre-grade across centering, corners, edges and surface. Free on iPhone and Android. --- Get Cardinal, free: [App Store](https://apps.apple.com/app/cardinal-tcg-scan-grade/id6810442266) · [Google Play](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=ai.cardinal.app)