Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA) – Considered the industry leader in third-party grading of trading cards including baseball cards, PSA has several locations around the country where you can get cards graded in person. Their busiest locations include their headquarters in Long Beach, California as well as offices in Orlando, Florida, Marietta, Georgia, and Dallas, Texas. At each site, you can meet with a PSA representative and submit your cards for grading. They will assess factors like centering, corners, edges and surfaces to authenticate the card and assign a numerical grade from 1 to 10 based on its condition compared to mint status. Turnaround time for in-person submission is usually 4-6 weeks.
Beckett Grading Services (BGS) – Another top grading service, BGS has offices in Dallas, Texas and Hackensack, New Jersey where you can drop off your baseball cards for in-person grading. Similar to PSA, BGS representatives will inspect each card under strong lighting and magnification to examine for flaws before assigning a grade. In addition to a numerical grade from 1-10, BGS also utilizes a “gem scale” labeling of standard, pristine, gem mint and black label for near-perfect cards. In-person grading turnaround is generally 4-6 weeks as well.
Comprehensive Grading Services (CGS) – While smaller than PSA and BGS, CGS is a well-regarded third-party grader with locations in Seattle, Washington and Englewood, Colorado. Their staff includes experienced authenticators and graders who can evaluate your baseball cards onsite. CGS uses a 1-10 grading scale and labels like “superb” and “pristine” to describe high grade cards. In-person submissions are processed within 4-6 weeks.
Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS) – In addition to coins, PCGS also offers trading card authentication and grading services. They have many affiliate offices nationwide including major sites in Newport Beach, California and Santa Ana, California where cards can be dropped off. PCGS’ strict standards mean their assigned grades may be slightly tougher compared to other services. Expect a 4-6 week turnaround for in-person submissions as well.
Sportscard Guaranty (SGC) – Another certified third-party grading company, SGC is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois where you can visit their facility to hand over your baseball cards. They utilize a 1-10 numerical grade scale and additional designations indicating near-mint or gem quality. SGC typically requires 4-6 weeks to grade in-person submissions.
The leading authenticators for getting valuable baseball cards evaluated and encapsulated with an official grade in-person are PSA, BGS, CGS, PCGS and SGC. While shipping cards is convenient, the benefit of in-person submission is being able to work directly with company representatives plus possibly reduced turnaround times. Be prepared for a 4-6 week grading processing timeframe at minimum however. With proper research into the different services, submitting cards in-person can help maximize their value and attract serious potential buyers.
