Are My Cards Worth Getting Graded? Here’s How to Tell | Hobby Card Life (2024)

One of the best ways to make money in the sports cards industry is to send in your cards to get graded!

Things aren’t quite like they used to be when the boom hit in early 2021…back then, you could submit almost anything and sell it for a crazy premium.

People have gotten smarter—not to mention, the market got absolutely flooded.

To figure out if your cards are worth grading, you need to first research sold comps to make sure you’re sending in cards that will see a sufficient bump in pricing to be worth it. Then, you need to ruthlessly inspect your cards to determine if they’re in a good enough condition to get the grade you need for a good ROI.

Now, I’m not going to break down which grading company you should go with—I already did a complete review of all the major players in the space here—but I will use PSA a lot because they are the standard.

How Do I Know if My Cards Are Worth Grading?

Research Card Values at Different Grades and Different Companies

There’s no hard and fast rule for what grade you need to get in order to turn a profit!

Each company carries their own perceived value (like PSA being king), each company has their own grading scale (gem mint for PSA is 10, for BGS it’s 9.5), and then it depends on the popularity of the card, condition, age, etc.

An extreme example of this is how some older, valuable cards are worth grading even if they get a 1. If you’ve got a Jordan rookie, you’re grading that sucker even if it’s bent in half!

Are My Cards Worth Getting Graded? Here’s How to Tell | Hobby Card Life (1)

For other cards (usually common ultra-modern cards), even getting a 10 won’t raise the value enough to get it graded, even with one of the cheaper companies.

In general, sending in cards worth $5 is unlikely to net you any sort of ROI.

However, a good exception to this are extremely condition sensitive cards. One of these is the famous 1992-92 Upper Deck Shaquille O’Neal:

Are My Cards Worth Getting Graded? Here’s How to Tell | Hobby Card Life (2)
Are My Cards Worth Getting Graded? Here’s How to Tell | Hobby Card Life (3)

Crazy, right?

The thing is, this card was INSANELY over-printed! Everyone has one. I’ve seen pictures of people with shoeboxes full of these.

However, with that all-black background, these cards are very hard to grade well. That’s because any wear shows up perfectly against the black.

I sent one mine to be assessed by a pro and he told me it was the cleanest version of this card he’d ever seen, so I had it sent to SGC. It came back a 9 and is probably worth $15. That’s how hard these things grade.

Modern Rule of Thumb for Minimum Card Grades

In general, with newer cards that aren’t insanely valuable, you’ll often need to get a 10 or you’re generally going to lose money.

Like this:

Zion Williamson PSA 9 vs Raw Prizm Rookie

Are My Cards Worth Getting Graded? Here’s How to Tell | Hobby Card Life (4)

Granted, this is a base card, but there’s no reason to send a card like this in at all.

However, some rarer variation are absolutely worth getting graded, such as that same LaMelo but in a silver:

Are My Cards Worth Getting Graded? Here’s How to Tell | Hobby Card Life (5)

Raw, these things go for about $30.

So the moral: do your research!

Look up the raw value of your card, and then what it would be worth as a 9 or as a gem mint (some companies have 9.5 as gem mint, others have it as a 10).

And then always be conservative. That’s the secret to not losing money! If you’re like “I guarantee this will get a 10, I would still assume I’m going to get a 9.

Check PSA Population Reports before Sending in Your Cards

Finally, as part of researching values, take a look at the card’s population report. This will tell you how many of your card there are for each grade.

Unfortunately, PSA is the only one with a truly robust pop report. However, even if you’re going with another grading company, you can at least get a sense for how many there are.

If a card has an extremely high pop count (like 5k or higher), be wary.

Are My Cards Worth Getting Graded? Here’s How to Tell | Hobby Card Life (6)

That Zion rookie has nearly 40,000 PSA 9s and 10s out there!

Even if your research shows that you can turn a profit, seeing an ultra-high pop count like this gives me pause.

By the time my card comes back, will prices have dropped too much? That’s more likely with higher pop counts.

How to Assess Condition of the Card

Here’s my process that’s worked well so far:

Check the Centering on your card

If I’m opening a box of cards and I find a banger, I’ll take a real quick look at the centering. The ones that look at least decent, I’ll put into a penny sleeve and a Card Saver. If the centering is obviously trash, then I’ll put it into a top loader.

Later, I’ll pull out those Card Savers again to take a much closer look at my potential graded cards.

According to PSA’s guidelines, your card can be 55/45 to 60/40 off-center and still get a 10 (on the back, that goes to 75/25.

You can always eyeball it—if it’s easily noticeable, then you’re unlikely to get a 10. If it’s the only thing wrong with the card, a 9 is still in play.

(NOTE: I see cards posted on social media all the time with this caption: “How is this a 10 with that centering?!” I’m talking generalities here…those are the rare exceptions)

I bought a handy tool in Amazon that’s helped me exactly measure the centering. Check it out here!

Check the Corners/Edges of your card

First, I look at with the naked eye. If a corner/edge is soft or dinged, I won’t send it to be graded. You’re likely starting at an 8.

An 8 according to PSA has “slightest fraying at one or two corners.”

If any of the corners aren’t sharp, I wouldn’t send it.

Check the Card’s Surface Under Bright Light

Let me warn you…this is the step that trips up most people! When collectors send cards in and get an 8 or lower, it’s usually from the surface.

I can’t tell you how many BGS cards I see with 9.5s for corners, edges, and centering…and then like a 6 for the surface.

When I was just getting back into it, I found a nice Paul Pierce rookie in my collection. I looked everything over and I thought it could get a 9 or 10. Sweet, right?

However, once I learned more, I re-checked the card before sending it in. I looked at it under a bright light and held it at all different angles.

The card was the most scratched thing I’d ever seen! But since I’d been looking at the card in my basement with low lighting, I hadn’t noticed it before.

So, get a bright light (I use my light box) and hold the card at every angle under the light. Anything but the most minor of scratches goes back into a top loader for me.

Re-check Corners/Edges/Surface Again Under Light and a Loupe or Magnifying Glass

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If I still have a card that looks worthy of grading, I’m going to take things to the next level.

Still under a bright light, I’m going to go over every inch of that card with a loupe! That’s those little magnifying glasses jeweler’s use to inspect gems.

You can grab ones on Amazon with 30x magnification for super cheap (here’s the one I bought). It’s one of the best investments I’ve ever made!

Send to a Professional

Last but not least…there are companies out there (usually ones that also submit cards to be graded for you) that also will inspect your cards for you and let you know what grade they think you’ll get!

These are people who have tons of experience doing it, and in the times I’ve done it…they’re usually extremely accurate.

Also, because it’s not their main business (bulk submitting cards is), they’ll usually look over your cards for super cheap and send you back the ones that don’t pass inspection. They charge like $3 – $5 per card.

It’s an absolute no-brainer to help you save $20+ per card that has no business being graded.

I like Nashcards for this service.

Sending cards in to get graded is one of THE best ways to make a profit (long as you’re sending in the right cards!). For more ideas on flipping cards for cash, check out this article:

=> The Ultimate Playbook to Make Money Selling Sports Cards

Are My Cards Worth Getting Graded? Here’s How to Tell | Hobby Card Life (2024)

FAQs

How do I tell if my card is worth grading? ›

The four conditions used for grading are the quality of the surface, sharpness of corners, crispness and sharpness of edges and how well the image on the card itself is centered, front and back. Not every card is a candidate for grading. Newer cards have higher standards for grading.

Is it worth getting your cards graded? ›

You should ONLY get your cards graded IF it will increase the value or make the sale of the card(s) easier. You should NOT get your card graded just because you THINK it will improve the value. Grading cards costs money.

Who is the most reputable card grading? ›

The Best Sports Card Grading Companies: A Collector's Guide
  • Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA): The Gold Standard in Sports Card Grading. ...
  • Beckett Grading Services (BGS): Pioneering Precision in Sports Card Grading. ...
  • Sportscard Guaranty Corporation (SGC): A Trusted Leader in Sports Card Grading.

Is Beckett better than PSA? ›

If the cards are primarily for collecting purposes and maintaining a high level of authenticity, Beckett's stricter grading standards may be preferred. On the other hand, if the focus is on resale value and market demand, PSA graded cards may be the better choice.

What is the cheapest grading company? ›

Wrap Up
Grading CompanyCheapest PriceOffers Subgrade
PSA$15-$19No
BGS$16 (no Subgrades)Yes
SGC$18No
Mar 1, 2024

Is PSA 10 better than BGS 10? ›

BGS calls those cards “Gem Mint 9.5”, which is the term PSA uses for their grade 10 cards. BGS less frequently issues grade 10 ratings, which they call “Pristine 10”. Most collectors consider a PSA 10 and a BGS 10 to be the same, but it can affect pricing.

Is it better to sell cards graded or ungraded? ›

One of the primary reasons why graded cards are more valuable than ungraded cards is the quality assurance and authentication provided by professional grading services.

How much money does it take to get a card graded? ›

There's no single cost for getting a card graded. It just depends which service you go with and how many cards you want graded. Card grading ranges from as little as about $18 per card to as much as $600 per card.

Does grading a card add value? ›

Not only it increases the chances of selling the card compared to other similar non-graded copies, but it also allows you to sell it at a much higher price, if the final grade is high.

Who is the toughest card grading company? ›

1. Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA) Background: Founded in 1991, PSA has become one of the largest and most respected card grading services in the world. It is known for its detailed grading scale ranging from 1 to 10, with 10 being a virtually perfect card.

Is CGC trustworthy? ›

Collectors and dealers trust the accuracy and integrity of CGC, which results in higher prices realized for CGC-certified collectibles.

What is the best grading company for money? ›

The Collector's Choice for Banknote Grading

For collectors of banknotes, PMG provides an accurate, consistent and impartial assessment of authenticity and grade, backed by the comprehensive PMG Guarantee, which protects buyers and sellers.

Is BGS 9 worth more than PSA 9? ›

I think it all comes down to subgrades, on average BGS 9 value is lower compared to PSA. For vintage especially surface. If the subgrade for surface is below 9, it most often is not a PSA 9.

Who grades tougher, PSA or BGS? ›

The experience of others may vary. As others have mentioned, BGS & CGC are stricter than PSA for centering. An interesting note is that while CGC is strict, their lowest centering grade is an 8. Anything below that is marked as OC (off centered) which is calculated as 8.5 in the formula to decide the grade.

Will a BGS 9.5 a PSA 10? ›

Probably not, but you never know. Usually you want all 9.5+ sub-grades to increase the odds of a 10, or else it might come back a PSA 9 instead. I have seen people get PSA 10 even with a 9 sub-grade though.

How to tell which Pokémon cards are worth money? ›

On most cards, a little symbol in the bottom left corner will tell you how rare it is. A black circle means it's common. If it's a black diamond, that means it's uncommon, while a black star indicates it's rare. Then there are other card types, such as secret rares and alternate arts, which are even more valuable.

How to tell if baseball cards are worth anything? ›

Specialists appraise baseball cards based on numerous factors, including overall condition, rarity, scarcity, grading, print variation, print quality, and, of course, the person featured on the card. Combined, these characteristics can determine the price and worth of a baseball card.

How to check value of PSA graded cards? ›

Head to PSAcard.com/auctionprices and search for your card. The more refined the query, the more accurate the results. It is best to include the year, manufacturer and subject of your card in your search. If you include the card number, expect All-Star results.

Does grading a card increase value? ›

Not only it increases the chances of selling the card compared to other similar non-graded copies, but it also allows you to sell it at a much higher price, if the final grade is high.

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