How to get your cards graded: a step-by-step guide

Grading a card means sending it to a specialist company that checks it is genuine, gives it a condition grade (usually from 1 to 10) and seals it in a clear rigid case, the "slab". A graded card is easier to sell, and a high grade can multiply its price.

Is it worth it?

Grading has a cost: the company's fee, insured and tracked shipping both ways, and sometimes weeks of waiting. It is worth it when the card is worth clearly more graded than that total cost.

• Yes for a rare or sought-after card in very good condition that you want to sell or keep for a long time.
• Yes to authenticate an expensive card before a sale.
• No for a common, low-value card: grading would cost more than the card.

Before you send anything, check what the same card sells for graded (8, 9, 10): the grade you can expect decides whether grading pays off.

Step 1: check the card's condition

Every company grades the same four things:

• Centering: borders should be even on both sides, front and back.
• Corners: sharp, not rounded or bent.
• Edges: no whitening or chips, especially on the back.
• Surface: no scratches, marks, print lines or creases.

Look at the card under a bright light, from several angles, with a loupe if you have one. A single visible scratch is often enough to rule out a 10.

Step 2: choose a company and a service level

Each company has its strengths: resale premium, detailed subgrades, low bulk prices, short turnaround. Our Grading page compares PSA, Beckett, CGC, SGC, TAG, PCA and CCC with their starting prices and turnaround, and our guide Which grader should you choose? helps you decide.

The service level depends mostly on two things: the card's declared value and the turnaround you accept. The more the card is worth, the higher the level, because the company's insurance goes up.

Step 3: declare the value

The declared value is what the card would be worth once graded, not what you paid. It sets the service level and the insurance amount. Declaring too low can mean an upcharge after grading and leaves the card underinsured if it is lost.

Step 4: prepare the cards

• Put each card in a clean penny sleeve.
• Then put it in a semi-rigid holder (Card Saver type) or a rigid toploader, as the company asks: PSA, for example, asks for semi-rigid holders. Always check the chosen company's instructions.
• Never put tape on the card or over the holder's opening.
• Keep the cards in the order of your online submission form.

Step 5: pack and ship

• Sandwich the cards between two pieces of cardboard in a sturdy box, packed so they cannot move.
• Ship tracked and insured for the declared value.
• From Europe, use a European facility where you can: PSA in Frankfurt, Beckett in Germany and CGC in Munich avoid customs and long shipping to the US. PCA and CCC are in France. You can also go through an authorized store or group submitter that sends cards for several collectors.

Step 6: track and receive

You can follow your order online. When it comes back, check the case and the label: every graded card has a certificate number anyone can look up on the company's site, which also protects the buyer when you sell.

Mistakes to avoid

• Sending a card without looking at it closely under a light.
• Declaring a low value to pay less.
• Packing the cards poorly for shipping.
• Forgetting return shipping and customs in your math.
• Choosing a company on price alone, without looking at resale.