There are several major third party grading companies that provide authentication and grading services for sports cards like baseball cards. The top three companies are Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA), Beckett Grading Services (BGS), and Championship Authentication (CGA).
To get cards graded, you will first need to register an account on the grading company’s website that you want to use. This is usually a simple process of providing your name, address, email and creating a username and password. Once registered, you can log into your account to submit cards for grading.
Before submitting your cards, you’ll want to carefully inspect each one to make sure it qualifies for the grading process. The card should be in firmly attached in the plastic holder and there should be no flaws, bends, dents, creases or other damage. Minor imperfections are allowable but obviously a card in poor condition won’t grade well. You’ll also want to make sure the card isn’t sealed in an unopened pack or box, as those can’t be submitted individually.
When you’re ready to submit cards, you’ll need to package them securely and include a submission form listing the details of each card. This form is usually downloaded from the grading company’s website. Cards should be placed individually inside solid toploaders or holders, then nested together tightly packed in a cardboard box with adequate padding around them. You don’t want the cards sliding around loose during shipping.
Once packaged, you can ship the cards to the grading company using a tracked service like USPS Priority Mail, FedEx or UPS. Be sure to insure the package for the value just in case of damage during transit. You’ll pay a fee upon submission based on the number of cards, usually $10-$15 per card depending on service level. There are economy bulk submission options too for larger lots of cards.
After the grading company receives the cards, they will carefully examine each one under a strong light and magnifying glass. Graders take into account characteristics like centering, corners, edges and surface for visual condition. They may also perform other authentication tests as needed. The card is then assigned a numerical grade on the popular 1-10 scale, along with qualitative descriptions of its condition from Gem Mint to Poor.
You can expect turnaround times to vary depending on the company and service level selected. Economy submissions may take 4-6 weeks while rush options can return cards within a week. The graded cards will be packaged securely and shipped back to you, along with the official slabs displaying the grades assigned. You can then showcase, sell or enjoy your newly authenticated and professionally graded baseball cards.
The grading process ensures cards are properly protected in durable plastic slabs and assigned verifiable condition grades according to industry standards. This adds credibility for collectors and increases resale value significantly compared to raw, ungraded cards. While there is a cost involved, professional third party grading is highly recommended for valuable vintage cards being kept long-term or ones planned to be sold in the collectibles market. It provides authentication peace of mind and maximum transparency of a card’s quality and condition.
