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Grading Guide

That PSA 10 slab looks beautiful. But is it worth the $50+ to find out? Here's when grading makes sense.

What is card grading?

A professional grading company (PSA, BGS, CGC) evaluates your card's condition on a 1-10 scale, authenticates it, and seals it in a tamper-proof case (slab). The grade determines the card's market value. A PSA 10 can be worth 2-10x more than the same card raw.

Grading services

  • PSA (Professional Sports Authenticator) — the most recognized and liquid. A PSA 10 slab is the gold standard for resale. PSA Japan office now open for domestic JP submissions
  • BGS (Beckett Grading Services) — provides subgrades (Centering, Corners, Edges, Surface). A BGS 10 Black Label (all subgrades 10) is the rarest and most valuable grade possible. Less liquid than PSA for Japanese cards
  • CGC (Certified Guaranty Company) — newer entrant, growing acceptance. Subgrades like BGS. Often faster turnaround than PSA. Lower market recognition for TCGs

What it costs (2025-2026)

  • PSA Value ($25/card) — max $499 declared value, 150-200+ business day turnaround
  • PSA Regular ($50/card) — max $999 declared, 65-90 business days
  • PSA Express ($100/card) — max $4,999 declared, 20-30 business days
  • PSA Super Express ($200/card) — max $9,999, 5-10 business days
  • Plus return shipping ($10-20 domestic US, more international)
  • International submitters: use a US-based proxy/middleman, or submit through PSA Japan

When to grade

  • Card raw value is $50+ AND appears mint — the grading fee is justified by the PSA 10 premium
  • Card is vintage (pre-2005) in any clean condition — even PSA 7-8 is valuable for old cards
  • Card is a chase card (SAR, Illustration Rare, SP signed, QCR) — these have established graded markets
  • You plan to sell — graded cards sell for more and faster on most platforms
  • You want long-term preservation — slabs protect against environmental damage permanently

When NOT to grade

Grading isn't free money. Don't grade everything.

  • Card raw value under $20-30 — the grading fee eats any premium
  • Card has visible flaws (whitening, print lines, off-center) — you'll get a 7-8 and lose money
  • Common/bulk rarity — nobody pays PSA 10 premium for a common card
  • No established graded market for that specific card/game — some niche TCGs don't reward grading
  • You're grading purely on speculation — if the card isn't already valuable raw, grading won't make it valuable

What grades mean for value

  • PSA 10 (Gem Mint) — the holy grail. 2x-10x raw value depending on the card. Every collector wants this
  • PSA 9 (Mint) — still excellent. 1.2x-2x raw value. The floor for collectible graded modern cards
  • PSA 8 (Near Mint-Mint) — 0.8x-1x raw value. Generally not worth grading on modern cards (grading fee wipes the premium)
  • PSA 7 or below — below raw value after costs for modern cards. Only valuable for vintage where high grades are scarce
  • Japanese modern cards have high PSA 10 rates (60-80%) due to superior QC — this is your edge