There are a few major professional sports card grading companies that offer certification and grading services for baseball cards. The top three that are widely accepted and help increase a card’s value are Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA), Beckett Grading Services (BGS), and Hockey Card Grading (HGC). Each company has its own detailed grading process and scale to determine a card’s condition and authenticity.
To get started, you will need to choose which company you want to use based on turnaround times, cost of grading, and which population report you prefer the card to be included in. Population reports show how many other copies of that same card have been graded by that company at each grade level, giving collectors a sense of the card’s overall scarcity and demand. You’ll then need to visit the grader’s website and create an account to manage your submissions.
Most companies allow you to submit individual cards for grading or bulk submit cards in larger order volumes to save on cost per card. You’ll need to properly package each card in a hard plastic holder called a slab and include your assigned submission form listing details of each card. When bulk submitting, companies may require a minimum dollar amount of cards in the order. Payment for grading fees will need to be made upfront as well.
Once received, the card graders employ a team of experienced graders that will thoroughly inspect each card under state-of-the-art lighting and magnification equipment. They are looking to authenticate the card is genuine and wasn’t tampered with. Then they will assess factors like centering, corners, edges and surface for any flaws, wrinkles or damage using finely calibrated grading scales. Autographs and memorabilia will also be examined for authenticity. High resolution photos from both the front and back of each card are taken for the company’s digital registry.
The grading process usually takes 4-6 weeks on average depending on the company and time of year. During peak grading periods additional weeks may be needed. Once grading is complete you will be notified of the results and grades assigned on a traditional 1-10 scale. Tenth decimal point grades are also possible for super pristine “gem mint” cards deserving that level of precision. Certified cards are then securely sealed in tamper evident plastic slabs branded with the company’s hologram for guaranteed authenticity.
Graded cards can be resold easier on the secondary market place since the grade certifies the condition upfront. Population reports also give collectors and investors critical data on supply and demand trends over time. Properly stored and presented slabs make for beautiful certified collections as well. Professional third party grading boosts confidence for buyers and increases the protected long term value of your prized vintage or modern baseball cards. With care taken in the submission process, certified cards gain prestige and credibility benefiting collectors.