There are a few different companies that offer the service of grading baseball cards to determine their condition and authenticity. The three largest and most well-known grading companies for baseball cards are PSA, BGS (Beckett Grading Services), and SGC (Sports Card Guaranty). The costs to have cards graded will vary depending on which company you use and which turnaround service level you select.

For PSA, their basic bulk submission service has a flat fee structure based on the number of cards submitted. The lowest tier is $10 per card for submissions of 50 cards or more. For submissions under 50 cards, the cost per card is $12. You also have to pay shipping costs to send your cards to PSA and shipping costs to have the graded cards returned. Expedited turnaround options are available for higher per card fees. For example, their 10-day service is $35 per card for orders of 10 cards or fewer and $30 per card for orders of 11 cards or more. Their highest level “PSA DNA” authentication service starts at $100 per card.

BGS has a similar tiered fee structure. Their basic bulk submission service charges $15 per card for orders of 25 cards or more. For orders under 25 cards, it is $20 per card. Like PSA, you pay separate shipping costs each way as well. BGS also offers various express options. For example, their 5-day turnaround is $50 per card and 2-day is $100 per card. They also have authentication services that start at $59 per card.

SGC’s basic service fee is $12 per card with no minimum order size required. Shipping costs are separate. They have several express options as well such as 5-day at $30 per card and 24-hour at $150 per card. One advantage of SGC is they often have coupon codes available to save a few dollars per card on bulk submissions.

In addition to the per card grading fees, you need to factor in the costs of shipping your cards to the grading company and back. For a basic shipment of 50 cards or more in a rigid plastic holder or team bag, expect to pay around $20-$30 for shipping each way via tracked and insured USPS or UPS. Larger shipments or valuable cards should use more secure shipping like registered mail which can double those costs. International shipping rates are higher as well.

Another consideration is the encapsulation costs charged by PSA, BGS, and SGC. All graded cards come sealed in a protective plastic holder. Basic plastic holders are included in the grade fee, but some prefer the more protective and display worthy magnetic or black label holders which carry an additional $2-$5 per card charge. Reholdering an already graded card for a different label also costs $2-$5 per card.

For a typical order of 50 common baseball cards submitted for basic grading to one of the major companies, total costs would break down roughly as:
$500-750 in grading fees
$40-60 in shipping costs
$100-250 in optional encapsulation upgrade costs

So a bulk order of common cards could easily total $650-1000 after fees, shipping and holders. Submitting higher end or valuable vintage cards costs significantly more due to express grading fees, insurance for shipping, and premium holders. For truly rare Hall of Fame caliber cards, grading costs may exceed $1000-2000 per card depending on services used.

Having baseball cards professionally graded is an important process for determining authenticity and condition, but can involve substantial fees depending on the grading company, turnaround needs, number of cards, and value of the cards. Planning the budget for costs is crucial before getting cards authenticated and encapsulated. With some research on deals and timing of submissions, collectors can find ways to save a few dollars per card when possible. But for valuable collections, grading remains a worthwhile investment to ensure quality.