What should I look for when grading a sports card?

How are baseball cards graded? Baseball cards are graded based on main appearance factors including the condition of their corners, edges, surface, and centering. Upon evaluation of these factors, cards receive a 1-10 score – or grade – and are then encapsulated or put into a holder and sealed with a grade label.

What do they look for when grading a card?

The final grade a card is given is a weighted combination of the most important factors: the card's surface, centering, corners and edges. With these factors in mind, a card can more easily be inspected before being submitted for a grade. This allows collectors to carefully consider which cards to send.

How do I know if my sports cards are worth grading?

Simply put: the higher the grade, the better it sells! If you pull a low numbered parallel of one of the game's hottest players, that's great. Getting it graded and having it come back as a 9.5 or 10 is even better.

How do you tell if a card should be graded?

The Answer. You should ONLY get your cards graded IF it will increase the value or make the sale of the card(s) easier. You should NOT get your card graded just because you THINK it will improve the value. Grading cards costs money.

What is the best grade for sports cards?

Many might argue the point, but PSA graded cards tend to carry a better premium in the resale market versus other third party graders. Cards are graded on a 10 point scale from 1 through 10, with 10 (Gem-Mint) being the best.

PSA Grading: 5 Steps to Prep Your Cards for PSA in 2021! ??

Is Beckett or PSA better?

The general consensus seems to be that BGS is a bit cheaper and faster than PSA, and it's also the preferred option for newer, modern cards. Most of their services include collectible cards, but also other types of collectibles. BGS uses an algorithm to help them determine the grade of the card.

What is the most reputable card grading service?

Currently, there are several reputable and established grading companies in the hobby: Professional Sports Authenticators (PSA), Beckett Grading Services (BGS) and Sportscard Guaranty (SGC). Each card grading company grades a variety of cards.

How much money does it cost to grade a card?

PSA grading costs range anywhere from $20 per card all the way up to $10,000 per card, depending on the value of the card, the age of the card, how many cards you're submitting at one time, how fast you want the turnaround to be, and other factors. Below is a complete rundown of the PSA grading cost levels.

Does PSA clean cards before grading?

Does PSA Clean Your Cards? No, PSA and other grading services do not clean your cards as they get them. They will grade your cards as they receive them, which means that you should pay extra attention to the cleanliness of your cards before sending them out to these services.

How much does it cost to get a card graded by Beckett?

Beckett Grading Services Pricing

The BGS Standard service carries $30 with no sub-grades and $50 with sub-grades. For their Economy service with no sub-grades, a card commands $20/card and $35/card with sub-grades. Express services cost $100/card with no sub-grades and $150/card with sub-grades.

What is the cheapest card grading company?

Beckett Grading Services (BGS)

Very well respected in the industry, long-time competitor of PSA. Pricing ranges from about $20 in the economy with no sub-grades all the way up to $250 premium with sub grades.

Is it worth buying graded cards?

A card graded by PSA or BGS is stamped with the company's approval of its authenticity, so it is less likely to be forged. However, fake slabs are also a problem in the hobby. Other than that, decided whether to buy graded or raw cards comes down to how much risk you want to assume.

How much does a PSA 10 increase value?

PSA 10s are worth about 3.5x as much as PSA 9.

So if you're getting your cards graded, that means you score big with a 10.

What does a PSA 10 look like?

A PSA Gem Mint 10 card is a virtually perfect card. Attributes include four perfectly sharp corners, sharp focus and full original gloss. A PSA Gem Mint 10 card must be free of staining of any kind, but an allowance may be made for a slight printing imperfection, if it doesn't impair the overall appeal of the card.

What does PD mean in card grading?

Print Defect (PD) - A print defect is just that, an issue with the card's appearance as a result of the printing process. The severity and location of the defect(s) combine to determine if and how much the card's grade is affected. A common print defect is known as fish eye, which presents as a small circle.

How can I get cards graded for free?

PSA Photograde™ Online, a free, new online service from Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA), helps hobbyists gain a better understanding of the PSA Grading Standards and how they apply to their cards by providing a visual tour. It is easily accessed from the PSA home page, www.psacard.com.

Do print lines affect card grading?

Sometimes, a card may exhibit a minor printing imperfection that will not affect its grade. If a card has a printing flaw that every known copy exhibits, then the flaw is accepted in the collecting community as simply part of the card.

What percent of cards are PSA 10?

13% of all cards sent to PSA whereas the remainder of the foil cards receive a 10 in 2.4% of all cards submitted.

Is a Beckett 9.5 a PSA 10?

The quick simple answer is no bgs 9.5s are not psa 10s.

Who should I grade my cards with?

Found in the year 1999, Beckett Grading is one of the best and most famous grading companies in the world. The company is headquartered in Yorba Linda, California: Beckett Grading Services is a name to reckon with in the trading card industry.

Is CGC grading worth it?

Most comics from the 80s are overprinted and are easy to find, even in high grades. If your modern comic looks like a 9.6 or worse, then chances are that it isn't worth sending to get graded. You would need to get a 9.8 from CGC on most newer books to make them worth your time and money.