Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA) – Considered one of the “Big 3” grading companies along with BGS and SGC. PSA is likely the most well known and has been grading cards the longest since they started in 2000. They receive hundreds of thousands of submissions each year from dealers and collectors looking to verify a card’s authenticity, condition and encapsulate it in a protective holder. Cards graded by PSA tend to carry a premium in terms of value when bought and sold compared to raw, ungraded cards.

Beckett Grading Services (BGS) – Another pioneer in the grading industry, BGS launched their service in 1991. They use a similar 10 point scale to PSA but also provide sub-grades for centering, corners, edges and surface which provides more detailed condition information. BGS slabs tend to have a more modern design than PSA which some collectors prefer. While they grade fewer cards per year than PSA, BGS remains an elite grader option.

Sportscard Guarantee Company (SGC) – Seen as more of the “people’s grader” compared to the high-end labels of PSA and BGS. SGC is a bit more affordable for standard submissions and turnaround times tend to be faster than their larger competitors. They have developed a strong reputation for honesty and quality work over their 20+ year history. While a SGC slab may not carry quite as high of a price premium as a PSA 10 or BGS Gem Mint 9, it provides a professional grade from a trusted company.

There are also some smaller, niche graders like HGA, Slabbed and CSG that attract certain collectors but don’t have the mainstream recognition that PSA, BGS and SGC enjoy. Overall those “Big 3” represent the top choices for most people looking to get cards graded.

The process for submitting cards is similar across graders. Collectors will need to package protected cards in submission slabs or toploaders/card savers. Details like desired turnaround service level and a completed submission form listing the cards are required. Standard/economy submissions may take several months to be graded and returned while express/rush options can get cards back in as little as a few weeks but cost substantially more per card.

After the grading process, authenticated andEncapsulated cards are then securely sealed in protective plastic slabs with the assigned grade, identifier codes and other relevant information clearly printed for future verification purposes. These slabs have essentially become the standard in the hobby for verifying a card’s eligibility in certain collectible markets or entry into registry sets which often require a minimum grade from a recognized third party authentication service.

In terms of costs, PSA, BGS, and SGC all have published price guides on their websites that list standard submission fees per card depending on service level selected. For a normal PSA or BGS Express order, the cost to grade a single basic sports card usually ranges between $10-$20 total when shipping and insurance are factored in. Larger or more valuable submissions like entire complete sets or rare vintage cards tend to cost more per card.

Collectors have the option to submit directly through the grading company websites or work with official submitter partners. These are independent businesses that specialize in consolidation submission orders on behalf of multiple customers to get volume discounts. Submitters also offer services like photography, researching population reports and facilitating resale of cards post-grade.

As the trading card collecting hobby and vintage sports memorabilia markets have rapidly grown in recent decades, third party authentication and grading has become a near necessity to ensure transparent transactions occur. Getting cards professionally certified preserves condition history and lends credibility in determining values whether for personal collecting enjoyment or potential future resale. The process adds an extra layer of trust between buyers and sellers through verified authenticity and assigned quality assessments. With some planning and understanding of costs, any collector can take advantage of the benefits of submitting their prized cards to the trusted leaders in the card grading industry.