Population figures are broken into exclusive lines:
- Line 1 – Grade: Whole number grades 1 through 10 & 'Authentic' designations only.
- Line 2 - "+": Half-point grades 1.5 through 8.5 only.
- Line 3 - "Q": Qualifiers only
A "qualified" card meets all the criteria for a particular grade, but fails the standard in one area. Examples include: OC (Off-center), ST (Stain), PD (Print Defect), OF (Out of Focus), and MK (Marks).
Please keep in mind that, in some cases, PSA started recognizing certain varieties within specific sets long after the company began grading the issue. As a result, some of the population data may not reflect accurate numbers since there may have been significant amounts of cards graded before PSA began noting the variety on the PSA label and in the PSA database. As more and more hobbyists re-holder their previously-graded cards to reflect the new information, the more accurate the data will become.