PSA Card Qualifiers: Read the Letters Beside the Grade

Read a PSA card's number and qualifier together. The letters identify a condition issue that the number alone does not explain. PSA's qualifier glossary describes a qualified card as meeting a grade's requirements except in one area.

This guide explains the six codes and gives you a way to compare listings without dropping those letters from your notes. It joins our Collecting Guides hub and PSA certification checklist.

Official PSA sources checked October 31, 2026. The reused blueprint depicts generic holders and blank labels, not examples of official PSA labels or store inventory.

What do OC, MC, MK, ST, PD and OF mean?

PSA's current FAQ, under “What are Qualifiers and No Grades?”, lists these six designations. The inspection prompts are our buying checklist; they are not instructions for predicting a grade.

Code	PSA meaning	What to request in listing photographs
OC	Off Center	Full front and back views showing opposing borders
MC	Miscut	All edges and any missing design or portion of another card
MK	Marks, including writing or impressions left by writing	Close-ups of the marked area and an angled surface view
ST	Staining	Both sides, with clear views of discolored areas
PD	Print Defect	A close-up of the affected printed area
OF	Out of Focus, including an out-of-register image	A sharp photograph that lets you inspect the printed image

For a first inspection, write down the code exactly as photographed. Ask the seller to clarify any letters obscured by glare or a cropped label.

Required versus optional qualifiers

PSA's FAQ places MK and MC in its required group, and OC, ST, PD and OF in its optional group. For the optional group, PSA says the issue can instead be reflected in the numerical grade.

Consequently, a label without an optional qualifier does not establish that the relevant flaw is absent. “Optional” describes PSA's treatment of the finding; it does not make the issue irrelevant to your buying decision. Inspect the card as well as the label.

How should you read a PSA 8 OC?

PSA's glossary example describes a card with NM-MT 8 qualities but 90/10 left-to-right centering receiving an 8 OC designation. The OC qualification is part of that result.

For your comparison worksheet, keep 8 OC in one complete grade field. Do not silently turn it into an unqualified 8 or assign a different grade yourself. The example explains label interpretation; it does not predict a resubmission result or a sale price.

Compare complete grades before comparing prices

Use this sequence when researching a qualified card:

1. Match the card. Record year, set, subject, card number and version.
2. Copy the full label. Include the numerical grade and every qualifier.
3. Find the issue. Request the photographs suggested above and note what remains unclear.
4. Verify the record. Enter the certification number directly at PSA Cert Verification, then compare the returned details with the listing.
5. Separate your comparisons. Start with completed sales carrying the same full grade. Keep unqualified examples in a separate group, and record differences rather than applying an assumed discount.

PSA cautions on its verification page that a valid certification number does not by itself authenticate the item offered online: counterfeit labels can reuse real numbers. Follow our certification-checking guide for the broader inspection.

Use the price-research guide to organize comparable sales. If a listing has an Authentic designation instead of a numerical grade, continue to Authentic versus Authentic Altered before comparing it with a qualified numerical grade.

Build a search around the full label

The searches below focus on qualified Topps baseball singles. Add the exact year, player and card number to narrow the results, and verify the photographed label rather than relying on search matches. These links do not confirm availability or ownership by TheCardBoardReport.

For current baseball product identification, start with our Chrome Update checklist guide before adding a grade to your search. Then record one complete target card and compare matching listings below, or visit /shop for the store and broader listing tools.