The most widely recognized and respected third-party grading service for baseball cards is Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA). Founded in 2000, PSA has graded over 50 million trading cards and established the PSA/DNA authentication technology that is widely used to identify counterfeit and altered cards.
To submit cards to PSA for grading, you will first need to register for a PSA member account on their website. This allows you to track submissions, check status, and view grades online. Then you will need to carefully package your cards to prevent damage during shipping. PSA has guidelines for submission packaging and quantity limits depending on the membership tier. Once received, the cards will be reviewed by PSA grading experts who will analyze several factors like centering, corners, edges and surface to determine the overall grade on a 1-10 scale. Higher grades of 7 and above indicate a well-kept card that is desirable to collectors.
The grading process at PSA can take some time, typically 4-6 months for general submissions during busy periods. They do offer various levels of membership that provide benefits like reduced turnaround times. The cost to grade cards at PSA depends on factors like membership level, number of cards submitted, and desired turnaround service. As a baseline, expect to pay around $10-$15 per card on average with potential additional rush fees. Graded cards are then securely sealed in protective slabs with the assigned grade, card details and PSA authentication hologram for added value and appeal to buyers.
Another top competitor to PSA is Beckett Grading Services (BGS). Founded in 1992, BGS uses a similar detailed analysis process as PSA to examine cards and assign numerical grades. They also encapsulate graded cards in protective slabs marked with the grade and authentication seals. Like PSA, BGS has a website where you can register, track submissions, check guidelines and costs. Turnaround times and pricing are comparable between the two major services. One difference is that BGS offers additional verbal label descriptions like “Gem Mint” to further characterize grades, while PSA uses only the numerical scale.
For those looking for slightly lower cost alternatives, there are also several respected regional grading companies that many collectors will use:
SGC (Sportscard Guarantee Corporation) – Known for turnaround times of 1-2 weeks but prices are generally lower than PSA or BGS at around $5-$10 per card.
BVG (Beckett Vintage Grading) – Specializes in vintage pre-1980s cards and turnaround is typically 2-4 weeks.
GC (GreatCollections) – User-friendly online marketplace where you can also submit cards for $7-8 per card but expect 2-4 month turnaround.
For truly valuable vintage cards potentially worth thousands or even tens of thousands, sending to one of the major authenticators may be necessary before consigning to auction. Companies like James Spence Authentication analyze papers, inks and provide certificates of authenticity to satisfy serious buyers and achieve the best prices.
In conclusion, PSA and BGS are the definitive leaders for modern card grading due to reputation and widespread collector trust/acceptance of their holders in the marketplace. But the regional services can meet needs of many hobbyists, especially for turnaround time or cost reasons. Doing research to understand the process, guidelines and choosing a respected service is important to unlock the full potential value of a graded card collection.
