The main service provided byProfessional Sports Authenticator (PSA) is grading your collectible trading cards on their quality, centering, corners, edges and surface on a scale of 1-10. The cost for this service varies based on factors like turnaround time, value of the card, and card quantities.
For a regular grading service, which has a 30-day turnaround, PSA charges $15 per card for the first 10 cards in an order. Orders with 11-30 cards cost $10 per card, and orders over 30 cards cost $8 per card. If you need your cards graded faster, PSA offers several expedited options for additional fees. Optium is a premium 7-day service that costs $50 per card for the first 10 cards, $40 for 11-30 cards, and $30 for over 30 cards. There is also a Rush option for a 15-day turnaround priced at $35, $25, and $20 per card respectively depending on quantities. For the fastest possible 2-3 day turnaround, PSA charges $100, $80 and $60 per card.
In addition to grading fees, there are also shipping costs to consider. USPS First Class Mail is free to send cards to PSA but more expensive methods like Priority Mail or Express would cost extra. Return shipping pricing depends on the declared value of the order. Declared values under $200 can use USPS First Class Mail return for free, while higher values require Priority Mail or Express which are priced per package based on weight. International shipping has additional customs and brokerage fees as well.
When it comes to card values, PSA has four tiers that determine label and case costs. Cards valued under $50 require a $5.00 label fee and are returned in a rigid plastic case for $1 per card. Cards from $50.01-$499.99 have a $10 label fee and come back in a plastic magnetic holder for $2 per card. High-value cards from $500-$999.99 are given a gold label for $15 and returned in a vinyl magnetic holder for $3 per card. The highest Platinum level for cards $1000 and up charges $20 per label and $5 per clear acrylic slider case.
Bulk submission discounts are another way to save money when grading large card collections or collections. Discounting starts at 25+ cards where the per card cost goes down by $1 and 50+ cards see a further $1 reduction. The biggest quantity discount applies to 300+ cards which saves $2 off regular pricing. PSA also runs periodic membership promotion discount programs where card collectors can enroll for a yearly fee to get discounted grading rates.
As you can see, when factoring in all the costs of grading like service fees, shipping prices, label and holder costs – having cards authenticated and graded by PSA is an investment that is most worthwhile for high-value cards expected to grade well. While somewhat expensive initially, a quality PSA grade typically increases the collector and resale value of a card significantly more than the grading cost. With careful planning to take advantage of bulk submission discounts or membership promotions, PSA remains the gold standard in the hobby for protecting your valuable baseball card investments long-term.
