Grading Guide: PSA, CGC, BGS
Grading a card officially locks in its condition inside a sealed case, which directly affects its resale value. Here's an independent comparison of the three services most used for Pokémon cards.
| Service | Scale | Typical turnaround | Reputation |
|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 1 – 10 (Gem Mint) | 2 to 6 months depending on the service tier | The historical benchmark, carries the highest resale premium |
| CGC | 1 – 10, with detailed subgrades | 4 to 8 weeks on average | Fast-growing recognition, good turnaround-to-price ratio |
| BGS | 1 – 10, with 4 subgrades (centering, corners, surface, edges) | 2 to 4 months depending on the service tier | Very detailed subgrades, popular for modern cards and the English-speaking market |
How centering, corners, surface and edges are graded
- Centering: the balance of margins between the artwork and the card edge, measured front and back.
- Corners: sharpness of all four corners, no whitening or fraying.
- Surface: free of scratches, indentations, ink spots or handling marks.
- Edges: even die-cut, no visible whitening or chipping.
For the full detail on each score, see our article Understanding Grading Scores.
How grade affects value
The price gap between two grades can be substantial: the same Base Set Charizard can be worth several times more as a PSA 10 than a PSA 8, even though the visual difference between the two copies is sometimes minor to the naked eye. That sensitivity is exactly what makes the decision to grade or not economically significant.
Before you send your card for grading
A submission is final once the card is received by the chosen service: a counterfeit or a too-damaged card results in a rejection, with no refund of fees paid. Getting your card's authenticity checked through our authentication service before you ship it helps you avoid that outcome.
Grading in Europe or the US?
The choice has a real impact on turnaround, insurance cost, and the logistics risk of shipping. See our article Grading in Europe vs the US for a detailed comparison.
Should you grade every card?
Not necessarily. Grading's cost and turnaround only make economic sense when a card's ungraded value clearly exceeds the service cost. Our valuation report tells you whether grading is likely to meaningfully increase your card's value — see also our article Should You Grade Your Card? and our PSA, CGC, BGS comparison.