How Do I Get A Baseball Card Graded?

Find out how you can get your baseball cards graded by a professional company. This will ensure that your cards are authentic and valuable.

What is a Graded Baseball Card?

A Graded Baseball Card is a card that has been sent to a professional service, such as PSA or Beckett, to be evaluated, encapsulated, and given a numeric grade based on its condition. The card is then sealed in a hard plastic case so that its condition can be preserved. This is important for collectors because the value of a baseball card is often based on its condition, with rare cards in mint condition often being worth significantly more than common cards in poor condition.

The Different Grading Companies

Although there are many baseball card grading companies, the two most respected and well-known companies are PSA (Professional Sports Authenticator) and Beckett Grading Services. Each company has different standards for what they deem a “mint” condition card, so it is important to research each company before you submit your cards.

PSA is generally considered to be the stricter of the two companies, so a PSA 10 card is more valuable than a Beckett 10 card. However, that does not mean that Beckett cards are not valuable — a Beckett 10 card is still in Mint condition and will be worth more than cards graded lower by either company.

It costs money to have your baseball cards graded, so you will need to factor that into the cost-benefit analysis of whether or not to submit your cards. The general rule of thumb is that if your baseball card is worth more than $200 in ungraded condition, it is probably worth the cost of grading.

There are also different levels of grading, depending on how perfect you want your card to be. PSA offers three levels of grading: Good (G), Excellent Mint (EM), and Mint (M). Beckett has four levels: Excellent-Mint (E), Very Good-Exellent (VG), Good (G), and Fair (F).

Keep in mind that the higher the level of grading, the more expensive it will be. So if you’re not looking for perfection, you can save some money by having your cards graded at a lower level.

Once you’ve decided which company you want to use and what level of grading you need, you can follow their instructions on how to submit your cards.

The Grading Process

There are a few things you should know before sending your baseball cards in to be graded. The first is that not every card will get a high grade, and the second is that it will cost money to have your cards graded.

The grading process begins with an initial inspection of the card. The card is then assigned a grade based on its condition. The grading scale goes from 1 to 10, with 10 being the highest possible grade.

Once the card has been given a grade, it is placed in a protective sleeve and returned to you. The entire process usually takes around two weeks.

If you decide to have your baseball cards graded, it is important to do your research and choose a reputable company. There are many companies that offer grading services, but not all of them are created equal. You will want to read reviews and compare prices before making a decision.

The Cost of Grading

The cost of grading varies depending on the company you use, but typically it costs between $20 and $50 to have a single card graded, plus the cost of shipping. Some companies offer discounts for bulk submissions, so if you have a large collection it may be worth considering sending several cards at once. There are also a few companies that will grade your card for free, but they will keep the card and give you a replica instead.

The Pros and Cons of Grading

When you get a baseball card graded, a professional service evaluates the condition of the card and assigns it a numeric grade on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being pristine. The service will also encapsulate the card in a hard plastic case so it can be displayed. Grading can cost $10 or more per card, so it’s not something you want to do with every card in your collection. It’s generally reserved for special cards that are valuable or have sentimental value.

There are pros and cons to grading. On the plus side, grading provides an unbiased opinion about the condition of your card, which can be helpful when determining its value. Grading can also help protect your card from further damage because it will be sealed in a hard plastic case. On the downside, some collectors feel that Grading services are too subjective, and that they charge too much for their services. There is also the risk that your card could be damaged during the grading process.