There are several professional baseball card grading services that you can utilize to have your cards professionally graded. While you can’t necessarily go down the street to have cards graded, utilizing a reputable national service is the best way to ensure an accurate and trusted grade.
The main three professional third party grading companies for baseball cards are PSA, BGS (Beckett Grading Services), and SGC (Sportscard Guaranty Corporation). All three of these companies have established reputations and are widely accepted in the baseball card collecting and investing community. While they don’t have physical locations you can visit, you can easily submit your cards to any of them through the mail from anywhere in the United States.
PSA (Professional Sports Authenticator) is generally considered the gold standard in third party grading. They were the original pioneers of modern sports card grading when they launched in the early 1990s. PSA uses a 1-10 numerical grading scale to establish the condition or grade of a card. PSA slabs have hologram labels protecting the insert with the grade and identifying details, making tampering nearly impossible. PSA is best known for its credibility, consistency, and brand recognition. They grade the most cards of any company and their population reports detailing the number of a particular card in each PSA grade are an invaluable pricing guide.
BGS (Beckett Grading Services) is another top option that is widely accepted. BGS uses a similar 1-10 numerical scale but adds a 0.5 grade plus qualifiers like “gem mint” to help further distinguish top condition levels. BGS slabs have a unique black label style. Like PSA, BGS population reports provide crucial market data. BGS recently expanded their operations and turnaround times after being purchased by parent company Collectors Universe. Both PSA and BGS are considered the top choices if resale value is a priority.
SGC (Sportscard Guaranty Corporation) is the youngest of the big three companies, having launched in 2000. SGC utilizes a similar 1-10 scale and clear plastic holders. What separates SGC is their lower cost structure and faster turnaround times. SGC grading can cost hundreds less than PSA or BGS for large bulk submissions. SGC holders are not as recognizable or cachet as the other two but acceptance is growing. SGC can be a practical option if you want professional grades but aren’t focused on maximizing resale potential.
Beyond the big three, there are some regional independent groups that can provide grading services as well. The major companies have decades of experience analyzing baseball cards at scale and their population reports give unmatched pricing context. So for most collectors and investors seeking trusted, established grades, utilizing PSA, BGS, or SGC through the mail is the best path.
In terms of actually submitting cards to be graded, the process is simple. You pay a grading fee per card along with return shipping costs. Cards are packed securely and sent to the grading company along with a submission form detailing each card. After the submission is checked in, the cards go through multi-step verification and grading processes by experienced examiners. Then the rated cards are sealed in clear plastic slabs with labels identifying the details. Turnaround usually ranges from a few weeks to a few months depending on volume and service level selected. The graded cards are then returned to you along with a complete grading report for your collection/investment.
Periodically, the major grading companies will also have special bulk submission discounts and promotion programs. So checking their websites is worth to look for any deals. Many local card shops also may do group submissions that can qualify for such programs and discounts to help offset costs if you have a large collection to grade. The shops can help pack and ship the cards as a service.
While there are no local grading shops typically, utilizing one of the established national leaders like PSA, BGS or SGC through their mail-in programs is the most trusted and practical way for collectors and investors near or far to obtain professional, impartial grading assessments on their valued baseball card collections. With decades of experience between them, their reputable grading scales and extensive population reports provide invaluable context that localized independent options cannot match. With simple submission processes and consistent quality control, third party grading through the mail is really the best accessible option in the hobby.
