If you have a valuable baseball card that you want authenticated and verified as genuine, you will need to send it to a professional third-party grading service to have it certified. There are several major companies that offer baseball card grading services, with the top three being PSA, BGS (Beckett Grading Services), and SGC (Sports Card Guaranty).
The certification process involves carefully examining the card to verify there has been no tampering or alterations. Grading services will analyze factors like centering, corners, edges, and surface quality to determine the card’s condition on a numerical scale. Getting a card certified adds credibility when selling or trading the card, as the holder is assured of the card’s authenticity and quality. It also significantly increases the value for highly graded rare or vintage cards.
To submit a card for certification, you will need to register an account with the grading service you choose. Most accept submissions online. You will need to describe the card, select the appropriate service level, and pay the associated fee. Standard turnaround times vary but are usually a few weeks to a few months depending on volume. Faster rush services are available for an additional cost if speed is a priority.
PSA, BGS, and SGC all provide self-addressing shipping mailers and detailed instructions on how to properly prepare and pack your cards to minimize risk of damage during transit. It is essential cards are sent in hard plastic holders to avoid any possibility of bending or surface damage. Photos should be included of any notable flaws, and value is declared in case of loss during shipping.
Once received, the card will undergo a rigorous authentication and grading process. High-definition scans and detailed notes documenting every aspect are recorded. Multiple trained authenticators will carefully examine under high magnification. If any inconsistencies or signs of doctoring are found, the card will be marked “Not Genuine.” For genuine cards, the grading process determines the condition grade based on established standards.
You will be notified by email once the certification is complete and a certificate with the assigned grade will be mailed. Certified graded cards are tamper-evident sealed in a plastic case with the grade clearly displayed. Slabbed cards can easily be verified as authentic by cross-referencing the unique certification number provided on the case. Unslabbed raw cards are also returned along with the certificate if a grade was not assigned or requested.
The certification process adds value by objectively determining a card’s condition and authenticating it. This gives buyers confidence knowing they are getting an untreated, unaltered example. For high-value specimens, the certification greatly increases selling prices by thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars above raw ungraded examples. It provides a level of legitimacy and documentation for collectibles that makes the investment well worth it when the right cards are submitted.
