Is it worth grading?

How to tell if a card is worth grading

Grading costs money, and a graded card only pays off if the higher price you can sell it for is bigger than the grading fee, shipping, and selling fees. Here is how to size up a card before you spend anything.

1. Is the card worth enough to bother?

Start with what it sells for ungraded. Many common base cards, especially from the overproduced late 1980s to early 2000s, are worth more raw than they would gain from grading. Grading tends to make sense for cards that already have real value, like star rookies, vintage cards in good shape, and rare or low-numbered cards.

2. Look closely at the condition

Graders look at four things. Check each one in good light, ideally with a magnifier:

• Corners: sharp points, with no fraying or softness.
• Edges: clean, with no chipping or white specks, especially on dark borders.
• Surface: no scratches, print lines, dents, or stains. Tilt the card in the light to see them.
• Centering: the borders should look about equal on all sides, left to right and top to bottom.

If you can see an obvious flaw, the card probably won’t land a top grade.

3. Understand the grade scale

PSA grades cards from 1 to 10. A 10 is Gem Mint, a 9 is Mint, and an 8 is Near Mint-Mint. Other companies use their own scales, so look at how the company you choose defines its grades. The price gap between grades can be large. For popular cards, a 10 is often worth far more than a 9, and an 8 or lower may barely be worth more than the raw card.

4. Compare real prices for each grade

Search for your exact card on eBay and use the “Sold items” filter. Note what it sells for ungraded, and as a 10, 9, and 8. Use sold prices, not asking prices. Enter those numbers in the calculator at the top of this page.

5. Be honest about your odds

Even cards that look great often come back a grade or two lower than expected. Plan around the likely result, not the best case. A card that only pays off as a 10 is a gamble.

Quick tips

• Don’t try to clean or wipe a card. It can leave marks and lower the grade.
• Keep cards in a soft sleeve and a top loader until you ship them.
• Try a small batch of your best cards first to learn how your condition checks compare with real grades.
• Check the grading company’s current fees and turnaround times before you submit.

This guide and the calculator give estimates to help you decide, not guarantees. Card prices and grading fees change.