Pokemon Card Grading Guide: PSA vs CGC vs BGS
Grading can turn a raw card into a premium collectible, but it's not always worth the cost. This guide covers when to grade, how to prepare your cards, which grading company to choose, and what to expect from the entire process.
1. Should You Grade Your Card?
Let's get this out of the way first: grading is NOT for every card. It costs money, takes time, and a low grade can actually hurt your card's value. A PSA 6 slab is often worth less than the same card sold raw as "lightly played" because the slab removes playability and the grade confirms the damage.
Grade a card if:
- It's worth $50 or more raw in near-mint condition
- You believe it's a 9 or 10 candidate after inspecting it closely
- It's a vintage or chase card where graded premiums are significant
Don't grade:
- Cards worth under $30 raw (grading fees will eat your margins)
- Cards with visible damage, creases, or heavy whitening
- Common cards from modern sets (the graded premium won't justify the cost)
2. PSA vs CGC vs BGS: Which Company?
Three companies dominate Pokemon card grading. Each has strengths, and your choice depends on what matters most to you: resale value, transparency, or chasing that perfect score.
Professional Sports Authenticator
The most recognized name in grading. PSA 10s command the highest resale premiums across the board. They use a simple 1-10 scale with no sub-grades. Turnaround is typically 2-6 months depending on the service tier, with the cheapest option around $20-30 per card. If you're grading to sell, PSA is the safe bet.
Certified Guaranty Company
Newer to Pokemon but growing fast. CGC provides sub-grades for centering, surface, edges, and corners, so you can see exactly where your card lost points. They often have faster turnaround than PSA with similar pricing. If you want transparency in your grade, CGC is a great choice.
Beckett Grading Services
Sub-grades like CGC, but with a twist. A BGS 10 "Black Label" (all four sub-grades are 10) is the holy grail of graded cards and can be worth more than a PSA 10. However, a BGS 9.5 is roughly equivalent to a PSA 10 in value, which makes the BGS scale feel stricter. Slightly more expensive than the other two.
Our Recommendation
- PSA if you want maximum resale value and brand recognition
- CGC if you want sub-grades and faster turnaround
- BGS if you're going for the Black Label dream
3. How Grading Works
You send your card in, they evaluate it, assign a number grade from 1 to 10, and seal it in a tamper-proof plastic case called a "slab." The slab includes a label with the card name, set, grade, and a unique certification number you can verify online.
The Four Grading Criteria
Centering
How well the print is centered on both the front and back. Measured as a ratio (e.g., 60/40). Even factory-perfect cards can have centering issues.
Surface
Scratches, print lines, ink spots, or any imperfection on the card face or back. Even factory print lines can dock points here.
Edges
Whitening, chips, or roughness along any of the four edges. This is where most cards lose points, especially after being shuffled or stored loosely.
Corners
Bends, fraying, dings, or whitening at the four corners. Even minor corner wear is easily spotted under magnification.
4. Pre-Screening Your Cards
Before you spend money submitting a card, check it yourself. A $10 loupe and five minutes of inspection can save you from paying $25 to get back a grade that hurts your card's value.
Centering Check
Hold the card and compare the borders on all sides. The print should be roughly centered. PSA allows about 60/40 on the front and 75/25 on the back for a 10. There are free centering tool apps on your phone that overlay a grid to help you measure.
Surface Check
Under bright light, tilt the card slowly at different angles. Look for any scratches, print lines, or ink spots. Even factory print lines (thin lines across the holo pattern) can dock points. Holo cards are especially prone to surface issues.
Edge Check
Use the loupe and check all four edges. Look for whitening, which shows up as tiny white spots where the color layer has chipped away. This is the most common issue and the number one reason cards get docked from a 10 to a 9.
Corner Check
Check all four corners under the loupe. Any bending, fraying, or whitening will cost you. Corners are fragile and pick up damage from shuffling, binder pages, and even pulling cards out of penny sleeves carelessly.
5. How to Prepare Cards for Submission
Proper preparation protects your card during shipping and shows the grading company you're serious. Follow these steps exactly.
- 1Clean your hands. Wash and dry them completely. Oils and moisture are the enemy.
- 2Work on a clean microfiber cloth surface. This prevents the card from picking up dust or scratches from your desk.
- 3Gently wipe the card with a dry microfiber cloth. Front and back. Light pressure only.
- 4Sleeve in a Dragon Shield Perfect Fit. Snug fit, no air gaps.
- 5Place the sleeved card into a Card Saver 1 semi-rigid holder. This is the industry standard holder for grading submissions.
- 6Do NOT use top loaders. PSA and CGC specifically require Card Savers or similar semi-rigid holders. Top loaders can damage cards during removal at the grading facility.
- 7Fill out the submission form on the grading company's website. Double-check card names, set numbers, and declared values.
- 8Ship in a small box with padding. Not a bubble mailer. Use a small cardboard box with enough padding so cards don't shift during transit.
Never use chemicals or wet wipes on your cards. Moisture can warp the card and leave residue that shows up under grading inspection. Dry microfiber only.
6. Grading Tiers & Pricing
Each grading company offers different service tiers. The more you pay, the faster your cards come back. Minimum declared values vary by tier, and the declared value determines your insurance coverage during shipping.
Turnaround: 2-6 months. Best for cards worth $50-200 where you're not in a rush. This is the tier most collectors use for batch submissions.
Turnaround: 1-2 months. Good for cards worth $200 or more where waiting half a year feels like too long.
Turnaround: 1-2 weeks. For high-value cards you need back fast. The cost only makes sense for cards worth several hundred dollars or more.
7. Understanding Your Grade
Your card comes back with a number. Here's what each grade actually means and how it impacts value.
Perfect or near-perfect in every category. Commands huge premiums. A PSA 10 can be worth 2-10x the raw near-mint price depending on the card.
Very minor imperfection, often only visible under magnification. A PSA 9 is usually worth 1.2-2x the raw near-mint price. Still a solid result.
Light wear that's visible but not distracting. A PSA 8 is often worth less than the raw near-mint price because the slab takes away playability. Not ideal for modern cards.
Visible wear that's easy to spot. Rarely worth grading for modern cards at these levels. Vintage cards (Base Set, Jungle, Fossil) can still hold decent value at a 7 because finding them in better condition is difficult.
8. Group Submissions
Want to save money on grading fees? Join a group submission. Many local game stores and online communities run group subs where they collect cards from multiple people, batch them together, and submit as one large order at a lower per-card rate.
The organizer handles the paperwork and shipping, and you typically pay a small service fee on top of the grading cost. It's a great way to get your first cards graded without dealing with the submission process yourself.
Where to Find Group Subs
- Ask at your local game store. Many run regular group submissions.
- Check Pokemon TCG Facebook groups and Reddit communities.
- Look for established organizers with reviews and track records. Don't hand your cards to strangers without vetting them first.
9. Tracking Your Graded Cards
Once your cards come back graded, log them in the Professor's Research collection tracker. Premium members can track graded cards with the grading company, grade, and certification number. This helps you monitor your graded collection's value over time and keep an organized inventory of every slab you own.
Premium Grading Tracker Features
- Log the grading company (PSA, CGC, BGS) and grade for each card
- Store certification numbers for easy verification and resale
- Track your graded collection's total value over time
10. Grading Supply Checklist
Everything you need to prepare and submit cards for grading. Grab these before your first submission so you're not scrambling last minute.
Legends Grading Centering and Cleaning Kit
Best Starter KitAll-in-one kit with centering tool, cleaning material, and guides. Great starter kit for grading prep.
Card Grading Measuring and Magnifying Kit
Pre-Screen ToolIncludes magnifying glass, centering gauge, and measuring tools specifically designed for card submissions.
Flinduy Collectible Card Cleaning and Centering Kit
Precision cleaning supplies and centering tool. Helps you check your card before spending money on a submission.
Card Grading Submission Kit with Shipping Supplies
Complete KitComplete kit with card savers, shipping box, padding, and labels. Everything you need to submit cards to PSA or CGC.
These are affiliate links. Purchasing through them helps support Professor's Research at no extra cost to you.
11. Storing and Displaying Graded Cards
Once your cards come back graded, you need somewhere to put them. Graded slabs are too thick for regular binders and too valuable to just toss in a drawer. Here are the best storage and display options for your graded collection.
Storage
VALUN Graded Card Storage Box
Top PickDurable storage box designed specifically for graded slabs. Keeps them organized and protected.
Emfogo Trading Card Storage Box
Premium storage for graded cards and slabs. Clean design, easy to stack.
Premium Graded Card Storage Pockets
Professional pocket storage for graded slabs. Portable and easy to browse through your collection.
Display
Slab Wall Mount Display Frame
Display PickWall-mount frame designed for graded card slabs. Show off your best pulls on the wall.
TJ MOREE Graded Card Display Case
Multi-card display case that works for graded slabs and raw cards in one-touch cases.
YYDS Acrylic Magnetic Display Stand
Magnetic acrylic stand for individual graded cards. Perfect for desk or shelf display.
KCRasan Graded Card Display Case (Lockable)
LockableLockable display case for graded slabs. Great for card shows or keeping valuable cards secure at home.
Track Your Graded Cards
Log your slabs, track grades, and monitor your graded collection's value over time with the Professor's Research collection tracker.
Track Your Collection