Sports Card Grading Explained: PSA vs BGS vs CGC

You pulled a card that looks amazing. Clean edges, flawless surface, perfect centering. Now you're thinking: Should I get this graded?

The answer is — as with most things in collecting — it depends. Grading can increase a card's value by 5x to 50x. Or it can cost you $20 and give you a grade that nobody cares about.

Here's everything you need to know.

What Is Grading?

When you grade a card, you send it to a professional grading service. Experts examine it under magnification, checking:

• Centering — Is the image centered properly?
• Corners — No bending, no wear?
• Edges — Clean borders without whitening?
• Surface — No scratches, fingerprints, or print defects?

The card receives a numerical grade, gets sealed in a protective case (slab), and is considered authenticated.

The Big Three Grading Services

🏆 PSA (Professional Sports Authenticator)

PSA is the market leader and the most recognized grading company worldwide. Most collectors and dealers accept PSA grades as the standard.

Grading Scale: 1-10 (10 = Gem Mint)

Costs (2025):

• Economy (45+ days): ~$20-25 per card
• Regular (20 business days): ~$50 per card
• Express (10 business days): ~$100 per card
• Super Express (2 business days): ~$300 per card

Pros:

• Highest market acceptance
• Best resale value
• Extensive Population Reports (see how many cards received each grade)

Cons:

• Long wait times at budget tiers
• Strict grading standards (a PSA 10 is hard to get)
• US-based — international shipping takes time

🎯 BGS / Beckett (Beckett Grading Services)

BGS is the enthusiast's favorite. Known for its more detailed evaluation with sub-grades.

Grading Scale: 1-10, with half grades (9.5 = Gem Mint)

What makes BGS special: they give four sub-grades for Centering, Corners, Edges, and Surface. All four are visible on the label.

Costs (2025):

• Standard (50+ business days): ~$25 per card
• Express (10 business days): ~$150 per card
• Premium (2 business days): ~$300 per card

Pros:

• Sub-grades provide more detail
• BGS 10 Black Label is more prestigious than PSA 10
• Thicker, more durable slabs

Cons:

• Lower resale value than PSA at the same grade
• Large and heavy slabs (don't fit standard displays)
• Less known outside the hardcore community

🆕 CGC (Certified Guaranty Company)

CGC originally came from comic book grading and expanded into trading cards. Still relatively new in sports cards, but growing fast.

Grading Scale: 1-10, with half grades

Costs (2025):

• Standard (65+ business days): ~$15-20 per card
• Priority (20 business days): ~$50 per card
• Express (10 business days): ~$100 per card

Pros:

• Most affordable service
• Great option for Pokémon TCG and Magic
• Modern slab design

Cons:

• Lowest market acceptance for sports cards
• Less comprehensive Population Reports
• Not yet an established standard

PSA vs BGS vs CGC: Head-to-Head

Bottom line: PSA for maximum resale value, BGS for detail lovers, CGC for budget grading.

When Is Grading Worth It?

The golden rule: Only grade cards where the value increase exceeds the costs.

✅ Grade these:

• Rookie Cards of star players (Wembanyama, Luka, Bellingham)
• Parallels with low print runs (/25, /10, /5, 1/1)
• Autograph Cards and Game-Used Memorabilia
• Vintage cards in good condition (Pre-2000)
• Cards worth $50+ raw (as a rule of thumb)

❌ Don't grade these:

• Base cards of average players
• Cards with visible damage (you'll get a 7 at best)
• Cards worth under $10 raw (grading costs eat the profit)
• Cards you never plan to sell anyway

The Cost Calculation

Let's take an example:

• Card: Victor Wembanyama Panini Prizm Silver Rookie
• Raw value: ~$150
• PSA 10 value: ~$600-800
• PSA 9 value: ~$250-300
• Grading cost: ~$30 (Economy) + ~$15 shipping

If you're confident the card grades a 9 or 10 → yes, grade it. Potential value increase: $55-605 at $45 cost.

But if the card has flaws and only gets a 7 or 8? You spent $45 and the value barely changed.

Tips for Beginners

1. Pre-Grade Your Cards

Before spending money, check your cards yourself:

• Use a loupe (10x magnification)
• Check centering with a ruler (60/40 can still pass for PSA 10)
• Examine corners under light
• Check the surface under angled light for scratches

2. Start with PSA

If you're unsure, go with PSA. Resale value is highest, and the community knows and trusts PSA.

3. Use a Group Submission Service

Instead of shipping directly to the US yourself, use group submission services. They bundle submissions and save you shipping costs.

4. Document Everything

Keep track of:

• Which card you submitted
• When you sent it
• Tracking numbers
• Expected grade vs. actual grade

This helps you get better at self-assessing over time.

Track Your Collection Digitally

Graded or not — with Kollekto you can digitally catalog your entire sports card collection. Keep track of your cards, monitor values, and plan which cards to submit for grading next.

Collecting sports cards and wondering if grading is worth it? Create your free Kollekto account and keep track of your collection.