eBay And PSA Partner To Seamlessly Grade Raw Cards – What Does It Mean For Collectors?

Everyone who sees the news that eBay and PSA are partnering, will have only one reaction: “How did this only happen now.”

The primary platform for purchasing ungraded cards is eBay. The primary location for grading ungraded cards is at PSA.

Therefore, this is the most logical and practical combo imaginable. And it is finally here.

And yet, it still feels like eBay just revolutionized the grading game in a way that will make your head spin. Starting March 31st, 2025, the online marketplace is introducing a direct-to-PSA grading option for when you buy cards on the e-commerce giant.

That will save you all the hassle and wait of receiving the cards and shipping them off to be graded. It’s so seamless, it almost feels like magic.

How did this happen? What does it mean? Find out in our guide to how eBay and PSA partnered to grade raw cards seamlessly.

The announcement of eBay and PSA’s partnership

eBay stated that the new offer “eliminates multiple shipping legs, saves time by cutting out multiple steps, reduces costs, and supports a faster time-to-market, which is key in the fast-paced trading card hobby.

”eBay’s U.S. Collectibles General Manager Ron Jaiven, explained: “Grading is a core part of the trading card hobby, and now the process of getting from a raw card to an authenticated and graded one is seamless when you build your collection with eBay.”

PSA president Ryan Hoge added, “Over the past few years, we’ve continued to evolve our products and offerings to make access to our authentication and grading services as easy and seamless as possible. Adding this feature as the latest collaboration in our partnership with eBay is a logical next step. Combining the grading add-on with the Authenticity Guarantee program’s product flow makes building a collection easier and safer for everyone.”

As we will see, there are limitations on the types of cards involved. However, the service will likely expand in its availability over the next couple of years.

How the eBay and PSA to grade raw cards will work

We have all been there. Many times. You are scrolling through eBay. Then, you spot a raw card that catches your eye.

Let’s say it’s priced over $250, has more than two images, and isn’t autographed. Instead of the usual multi-step grading dance, you can now purchase the card and get it graded in one fell swoop.

No more waiting for the card to arrive at home. No more of it sitting there on the table until you have the energy to submit. No more preparing the cards carefully for submission and then forgetting to mail them off.

The process is now beautifully straightforward. When you purchase an eligible card, you’ll see an option at checkout to have PSA grade it immediately after it passes its Authenticity Guarantee inspection.

No need to register for a PSA account and there are no additional shipping hassles. The card is sent directly from the seller to PSA, where it is authenticated, graded, and then shipped to you.

The details of the eBay/PSA partnership

There are always limitations on this sort of thing. The devil is in the details and all that. Unfortunately, the service is currently available only to U.S. buyers. In addition, the cards must meet specific criteria.

If a card doesn’t pass the Authenticity Guarantee, it’ll be returned to the seller, and your purchase will be refunded. But if it passes? This is a final sale, meaning no returns are accepted.

So what that means is, that there are the cards that are eligible for this service:

• Individual raw cards. That means every card will be regarded on its merits in terms of value, etc.
• The cards will not be autographed  
• The cards must be valued at $250 and up
• The offer is only available for listings on which there are at least two high-quality photographs
• The cards must be approved for the eBay Authenticity Guarantee
• The offer is only available to buyers in the USA

You also cannot grade the cards at every level available at PSA. The grading options start at $39.99 for the Value Plus tier, which offers an estimated 20-day turnaround time.

Technically, the offer is already available on eBay. Some listings already offer this option. However, it will likely take a few weeks for all relevant listings to have that option available.

What are the implications of the eBay and PSA partnership?

This isn’t just a random feature drop. It’s part of eBay’s broader strategy in the collectibles market.

They’ve been steadily expanding their Authenticity Guarantee program since 2022, and in 2024, they made PSA their sole authenticator for trading cards.

They’ve even integrated card population data directly into listings, showing a deep commitment to the collecting community.

To sweeten the deal, eBay offers free shipping for graded cards until June 30th. It’s a move that eliminates multiple shipping legs, saves time, and supports a faster time-to-market—critical in the fast-paced trading card hobby.

The logic behind that move is obvious. They aim to familiarize collectors with this grading method. Just as we’ve grown accustomed to Amazon Prime, driving to Target to purchase an oven mitt now seems utterly ridiculous to us.

Similarly, eBay hopes that you will come to view the older method of grading cards as inefficient and time-consuming. If this service works as seamlessly as PSA and eBay hope, it will likely succeed.

For collectors who have long navigated the complex world of card authentication and grading, this feels like a game changer. eBay is removing barriers, making building a collection safer, easier, and more transparent.

This new feature is akin to having a detailed map and a friendly guide in a world where collecting can sometimes feel like navigating a complex maze.

The eBay and PSA Partnership

The new step continues the increasingly close strategic partnership between the hobby’s most significant e-commerce actor and the most prominent grading company.

It also may be the most important one. Indeed, it’s part of a massive strategic partnership that’s been brewing for years. eBay and PSA aren’t just collaborating; they’re becoming the power couple of the card-collecting world.

Let’s rewind a bit. In 2022, eBay first launched its Authenticity Guarantee service for trading cards. Initially, they covered ungraded cards sold for $750 or more. Fast forward to 2024, and they’ve been steadily expanding their reach.

They’ve created the eBay Vault, a 31,000-square-foot secure storage facility that’s poised to hold up to $3 billion in collectible assets.

That’s not just a warehouse – that’s a game-changing infrastructure for the entire collecting ecosystem.

The partnership goes deep. eBay even acquired Goldin Auctions from PSA’s parent company.

PSA president Kevin Lenane was equally bullish, noting that their 30 years of expertise complement eBay’s massive inventory. He said, “Our trading card expertise is the perfect complement to eBay’s breadth and depth of inventory.”

Meanwhile, Nat Turner, the CEO of Collectors, stated: “This will benefit The Hobby above all else, which is the primary goal of this innovative partnership between eBay and PSA.” According to them, they are creating a trust network that makes buying and selling cards safer and more transparent than ever before.

The monopoly problem

I hate to repeat myself, but I will. Okay, so maybe I don’t hate it too much. The PSA-eBay partnership is very convenient, but it is a monopoly.

Both dominate their respective parts of the market, and both are poised to grow more prominent due to this partnership.

In other words, this isn’t just about convenience. It’s about control. PSA already dominates the grading market, handling over 15 million cards in 2024. By integrating so deeply with eBay, they’re creating a one-stop ecosystem for card collectors.

Want to buy, grade, authenticate, and sell? You’ll do it all within their universe.

That is happening as Fanatics solidifies an unprecedented monopoly over the hobby’s card manufacturing. These massive actors are moving methodically to remove anyone else from the market.

Once the competitors are eliminated, PSA and eBay will likely raise their feeds, which are already substantial.

The final word on eBay and PSA partnership to grade cards

This eBay-PSA partnership appears to be a collector’s dream right now. One-click grading? Seamless authentication?

It’s so smooth that it feels like we’ve been handed the golden ticket. But here’s the brutal truth: convenience is the Trojan horse that monopolies ride in on.

Right now, this looks amazing. Faster grading. Easier purchases. Simplified collecting. But monopolies always – and I mean always – end the same way. First, they seduce you with convenience.

Then, they eliminate competition. And once those competitors are gone? Welcome to Pricing Hell.

Think about it. When PSA and eBay control every step of the transaction, from sale to authentication to grading, what’s stopping them from slowly increasing fees?

Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Today’s $39.99 grading might become tomorrow’s $99.99 standard rate. And collectors? We’ll have nowhere else to go.

This isn’t just about cards. It’s a case study examining the process of market consolidation. Fanatics is manufacturing, PSA is grading, and eBay is selling. They’re not building a marketplace—they’re building a fortress—and we’re all just tenants.

The short-term convenience is intoxicating. What are the long-term consequences? Potentially devastating for the collecting ecosystem.

Remember: A monopoly is a beautiful thing – if you’re the monopoly.