If you are interested in getting your sports cards graded, the amount of information to take in can be overwhelming. There are so many different grading companies with their own requirements, costs, and time periods.
The cost of getting a card graded will vary depending on the company you are sending it to. Each company will have their own fee schedule that determines the cost in addition to the type of card, how quickly you want the card returned, and some other factors.
We will discuss the three prominent grading companies and what it costs to send your card to them for grading. The cost will be broken down based on their requirements and specific factors. Keep reading to find out how much it costs to have a sports card graded.
Related: Is PSA Grading Trustworthy?
How Much Does It Cost to Get a Card Graded?
When you send your cards off for grading, the cost is probably significant when deciding. Since the cost will depend on the company, it’s hard to say precisely how much it will cost you per card. Based on the company’s websites, you can expect to pay a minimum of $20 per card and as high as $10,000.
To determine how much it will cost to get one or more sports cards graded, you first need to determine which company you want to work with. You can then determine their costs and how much you will need to spend to grade your cards.
PSA Recommends using Card Saver 1’s when submitting cards for grading. To check the current price and availability of Card Saver 1 Sleeves, click here to view the selection on Amazon.
How Much Does It Cost to Get a Card Graded by PSA?
PSA has several different packages available for you to choose from. First, they have a value package that starts at $20 per card. This price is for cards with a declared value of $499 or less.
Next, they have the economy package. This will cost $50 per card and requires the card to have a declared value of $499 or less. The difference between the economy and value packages is the processing speeds.
Then there is the regular package. This will cost $100 per card, and the card can’t have a declared value that exceeds $999. Currently, the value, economy, and regular packages are not available.
For more valuable cards, there are higher packages. The express costs $200 per card, with the declared value needing to be $2,499 or less. The super express package is $300 per card with a declared value that must not exceed $4,999. There is also a walk-through package, which costs $600 per card with a declared value of less than $9,999.
If you have cards that are worth more than $10,000, don’t worry. There are premium packages to accommodate these cards, but they are much pricier. Cards with a declared value of $10,000 to $24,999 will be Premium 1 and cost $1,000 per card graded.
Declared values of $25,000 to $49,999 are Premium 2 will cost you $2,000 per card to be graded. Premium 3 covers cards with a declared value of $50,000 to $99,999 for $3,000 per card. Premium 5 covers a declared value of $100,000 to $249,000 at $5,000 per card.
Finally, cards with a declared value of $250,000 or higher will require Premium 10, which is $10,000 per card. To determine the declared value of your card, you will need to look at the PSA’s Photograde and come up with a realistic estimate for the card.
Related: How to Get Cards Graded for Free
How Long Does It Take to Get a Card Graded by PSA?
Currently, the value, economy, and regular packages are suspended and unavailable, so turnaround cannot be determined. However, the express package will likely take one or two months for the cards to be returned to you.
Super express and walk-through both have an estimated turnaround time of roughly three weeks. This can change depending on how you ship them, if they are packaged properly, and if you declared a reasonable value.
How Much Does It Cost to Get a Card Graded by BGS?
Just like PSA, BGS has several different packages that you can choose from for grading. You can also decide whether you want a subgrade for your card. Their economy package is $20 per card without a subgrade and $35 with a subgrade.
The standard package is $30 without a subgrade and $50 with a subgrade. The express is $100 without a subgrade and $150 with a subgrade.
Currently, these three packages are suspended, and you can only send cards with the premium package for grading. The premium package is $125 per card without a subgrade and $250 with a subgrade.
How Long Does It Take to Get a Card Graded by BGS?
Your package will determine how quickly you will get your cards returned to you. When in service, the economy estimates a turnaround of 30 days, but it is more common for you to get your cards back six months later (or longer).
The standard package estimates that you will get your cards back within 10 days, but it is more likely that you will take at least five months to get your cards back.
The express package estimates they will have your cards back to you in 5 days, but it will likely take 10 to 15 business days.
Finally, the premium package estimates that your cars will be returned to you within two days. This isn’t a realistic estimate, as it will usually take a minimum of 5 business days, potentially longer, to get your cards back.
How Much Does It Cost to Get a Card Graded by Sportscard Guaranty Corporation(SGC)?
SGC has the most options available to you for grading. They categorize their pricing by declared value and turnaround time. For cards with a declared value of less than $1,500, the cost is $30 per card for standard turnaround or $250 for express turnaround.
Cards with a declared value of less than $3,500 will cost $85 per card with standard turnaround and $250 for express turnaround. Cards with a declared value of less than $7,500 will cost $250 for both standard and express turnaround.
Cards with a declared value of up to $20,000 will cost $500 per card for standard and express turnaround. If your card has a declared value of $50,000 or less, it will cost $1,000 for standard and express turnaround.
If your card has a declared value of up to $100,000, you will pay $2,000 for standard and express turnaround. Finally, if your card has a declared value of more than $100,000, it will cost $3,750 per card.
How Long Does It Take to Get a Card Graded by SGC?
SGC declares that their standard turnaround is between 20 and 25 business days, with their express turnaround taking 1 to 3 business days. It is much more likely for cards to be returned to you somewhere between 65 and 70 business days for standard turnaround.
What You Need to Know Before Grading
You need to be aware of a couple of things before you send your sports cards for grading. One of the most important things you need to know is the declared value of your card. This is just what you estimate your card to be worth to determine how much it will cost to get it graded.
To determine the declared value, you will first need to determine your card’s condition. Can you see large creases or rounded corners? Is the card flawless, with not so much as a scratch on the surface? This will help you determine how the card might score.
Next, do some research and determine the average price of your card on the Auction Prices Realized page on the PSA website. This will give you an idea of the average price of your card based on the grade you think it will receive.
You will also need to understand what a minimum grade is. This is the lowest PSA grade you will accept from the PSA. For example, if you submit your card with a minimum grade of PSA 8, the graders will evaluate it and determine if it deserves an 8.
If they feel your card is worth a PSA 8 or higher, they will then encapsulate it in a PSA holder. If they don’t think your card is with a PSA 8, they will not encapsulate it. You can determine the minimum grade you will accept, which can be as low as you wish.
To view current prices and inventory stock of sports card blaster boxes, click here to check them out on Amazon.
Who is the Best Card Grading Company?
PSA is the largest, most well-known, and most-respected card grader you can send your cards to. The grading scale is easy to follow and is recognized widely. PSA grades cards on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the highest possible condition.
The PSA grading scale is what is mostly used by collectors. A PSA 10 means the card is in Gem Mint (perfect) condition and is as good as it gets.
PSA 9 is Mint, PSA 8 is Near Mint to Mint, PSA 7 is Near Mint, PSA 6 is Excellent to Near Mint.
PSA 5 is Excellent, PSA 4 is Very Good to Excellent, PSA 3 is Very Good, PSA 2 is Good, PSA 1.5 is fair, and PSA 1 is Poor. You will get the highest resale payout for a PSA 9 or PSA 10 as these are flawless and valuable cards.
Are PSA Graded Cards Worth More?
It is very common to see cards graded by PSA sell for more money than cards graded by another company. This is because collectors are more likely to prefer PSA cards since they have been around the longest and are respected.
When sports cards have a grade from PSA, there are several benefits that you will experience. First, you and other collectors will know that the card is authentic and in great condition. This will increase your resale value or the value of your personal collection.
A card graded by PSA is also eligible to be entered into the PSA Set Registry. This interactive program on your computer makes trading easy and currently hosts as many as 150,000 sets. This program is known to hold the world’s finest cards and collections for trade.
How Can I Get Cards Graded for Cheap or Free?
If you are on a budget but still want to get your sports cards graded, you might be looking for the cheapest way to send them off. A third-party website called Graded Gem allows you to send your cards to PSA for a discounted price.
Their prices range between $11 and $35 per card. Graded Gem is currently not accepting submissions, and it is not yet known when they will start to take orders again. You can keep your eye on their website to see when they will be ready again.
Final Thoughts
When you have a special sports card that you want to get graded, you need to know how much it will cost you. The cost per card will depend on the company you choose and its requirements.
The three leading grading companies are PSA, BGS, and SGC. PSA is considered the best grading company on the market because it has been around the longest and has the most recognized grading system.
Before you send your cards in for grading, you need to determine the declared value. This will help determine how much it will cost per card to get them graded. Each company has different prices for different declared values, so you will need to make the graders aware of the declared value to get charged accordingly.