The Basics of Card Grading

The Basics of Card Grading

If you’ve been out of the world of trading cards for a while, you might need some brushing up on what “card grading” means. If this sounds like you, you’re in the right place. In this blog post, we’ll answer all your burning questions about the basics of card grading.

What is Card Grading?

Card grading is the practice of submitting a trading card to a third-party service and having it inspected for authenticity. A team of graders will review your card to ensure that it hasn’t been altered in ways that may deceive the value.

The Benefits of Card Grading

Card grading usually increases the value of a card. It’s also a great way to keep your cards protected and in top condition. Because graded cards are kept in rigid plastic, the cases are tamper-proof and difficult to break open.

Which Cards to Grade

Before you go out and ship all your old trading cards off to be graded, stop for a moment and think. Is it worth it? Here are the top 5 things to consider when choosing which (if any) cards to grade:

  • Card value
  • Card condition
  • Card rarity
  • Grading costs
  • Personal goals

Essentially, you have to weigh the pros and cons of grading your cards. If you’ve got a card that you think is high value, highly sought after, and in great condition, you may want to consider getting it graded. If you’ve got a card that’s pretty common and in not-so-great condition, it may not be worth it to spend the money on getting it graded in the long run.

Card Grading Service Options

Now that you’ve got some potential grading cards together, it’s time to think about the logistics. There are several big-name card grading services you can choose from:

Each company varies slightly in services, prices, and process, so we encourage you to check out each in order to meet your needs accordingly.

Still have questions?

Feel free to leave a comment below!

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