Getting your baseball cards graded by PSA (Professional Sports Authenticator) is a great way to verify the condition and authenticity of vintage and modern cards. The PSA grading process ensures your cards areencapsulated in tamper-proof holders that protect them while also communicating their verified grade to potential buyers.
The first step is to choose which cards you want to submit for grading. PSA recommends choosing higher value cards worth $50 or more in their assigned grade. Consider the card’s condition, scarcity, and whether third party verification of its authenticity and grade may increase its value. Have realistic expectations of the likely PSA assigned grade based on the card’s condition compared to published population reports. Damaged cards are unlikely to grade highly.
Once you’ve chosen the cards, you’ll need to properly prepare them for submission. Handle the cards as little as possible by their edges and corners to avoid adding fingerprints or damage. Gently wipe the surfaces with a microfiber cloth to remove oils or fingerprints if needed. Make sure the cards are securely packed for shipment, with sturdy packaging and without the risk of bending, indenting or scratching during transit. PSA provides sample shipping packages and guidelines on their website to help.
You’ll need to register for a PSA account on their website and become familiar with their submission service levels and pricing policies. PSA offers various service levels from economy to express, with tradeoffs of waiting period and fees. Choose the appropriate service level based on your needs and budget. Feesare charged per card and are based on current service level rates.
With your PSA account ready, you can begin a new submission order and enter details of each card including any special grading notes. Carefully read PSA’s population report definitions for each assigned grade to ensure realistic expectations. You’ll need to specify the service level, provide payment and print shipping labels for your submission package. PSA recommends using their tape, labels and package templates for consistency.
Package the cards securely in the labeled shipping package and send it to PSA via a trackable carrier like UPS. Once received, PSA experts will carefully inspect and grade each card. The entire authentication and grading process may take 4-12 weeks depending on volume and the service level chosen. You’ll receive email status updates as the cards progress through their system.
After completing the grading process, the encapsulated and assigned-grade labeled cards are returned to you along with a detailed report recapping the process. Check the results thoroughly upon receipt, as PSA will stand by their assigned authenticity and condition grades. You now have professionally verified baseball cards encapsulated for protection that also communicate their verified market values to potential buyers down the road.
Getting baseball cards professionally authenticated and assigned accurate numeric grades by PSA is an invaluable service for serious collectors and investors. Following their detailed submission guidelines helps ensure a smooth experience. Taking care to choose cards likely to grade favorably also makes the most of the inspection fees required by the process. The verified confidence and holder protection provided in return makes this the gold standard for card grading.
