If you spend any time on the card collecting internet, there are a handful of questions you see asked over and over again.
Number one is probably, “Are these dinged-up late 1980s to early 1990s cards I found worth money?” Sadly, the answer is short (“No.”) and not very interesting.
The question you likely see next most is “Should I get this card graded?” This question is a bit more nuanced, so let’s dig in a bit deeper.
Grading is a big part of the modern hobby, for good reason. In the age where the majority of transactions take place over the internet without the ability to examine cards closely, having a third-party system for grading is key to avoiding disputes.
You and I can disagree about whether that Mickey Mantle card is VG or EX, but we can’t disagree that it’s a PSA 4. Of course, even with a given company and grade, there are considerations, such as eye appeal, but that’s a topic for another day.
There are several grading companies, with PSA being the largest by a significant margin. CGC is a distant second in terms of volume. SGC, owned by the same parent company as PSA, is the third largest and most popular with vintage collectors.
BGS, or Beckett Grading Services, follows and may be struggling a bit. TAG is a new player in the space, and the high-tech company has its early converts.
Typically, cards graded by PSA tend to have the highest resale value (at the same grade level w/ similar eye appeal). Yes, you should “buy the card, not the grade,” but it’s foolish to assume that the grade isn’t a significant component in determining a card’s value.
Of course, PSA also tends to be the most expensive company to grade with, which is another consideration.
While PSA is king, companies like SGC and CGC have their niches, and in some cases, the gap isn’t as big as it once was. For example, SGC has become popular with vintage collectors, who think their slabs look nice with vintage cards.
Regardless of the company, the submission process is similar enough. You select the cards you want to be graded and carefully ship them to the grader, who then grades, slabs, and returns your cards.
Prices range from as low as $10/card for bulk orders from the less popular companies to hundreds or thousands of dollars for high-end cards and fast turnaround time.
This brings us to the point of this article: Should you submit a specific card to be graded? How will you know?
In reality, the formula is quite simple, it just requires a little research on your part (instead of just posting “Should I grade this?” on Reddit. Don’t do that. Redditors hate that).
If you have no idea what you have and what it may be worth, grading shouldn’t be your first consideration, anyway. Do some research or find a hobby friend to help you.
The formula to determine if it’s worth getting a card graded:
<card acquisition cost or raw value> + <cost of grading> = <value of card graded in likely grade>
That’s it. The cost of acquiring the card, or its raw value, plus the cost to get it graded (including shipping both ways if you substitute it yourself). If the card’s value in the likely grade it will receive is not higher than that total, it is likely not worth grading the card.
It’s that simple. It also means that many cards aren’t worth getting graded. Modern base cards, outside potentially (but not necessarily) the hottest rookies and stars are likely not worth grading. Some rarer ultra-modern parallels and autographs likely are, but not all. From a vintage perspective, it’s all about the condition of the cards and their likely grade.
A word on grade assumptions. When looking at your card, you need to consider a lot of factors, but the most crucial factor is to fight against your ownership bias.
We all tend to overvalue things we own, so look at the card like it’s one you’re considering buying, not one you’re just sure will get a PSA 10.
It’s best to assume the grade will be a full grade value lower than you think, just to be safe. So, if that ultra-modern card is only worth grading if it’s a 10, and a PSA 9 loses money, maybe don’t grade it, or at least understand you’re taking a gamble.
If you think your vintage card is a PSA 5, look at prices for a PSA 4 and use that number for the calculation.
So, how do you find the value of your cards, either raw or graded? A number of websites can help.
The first stop is eBay. Search for the card and then select “Sold Items” to display only items that have sold. That way, you know what a card has sold for, not what someone is asking for it.
There are plenty of other sites where you can get recent sales data, as well. These include PSA (for cards in PSA slabs, of course), 130point.com, and Card Ladder. While you’re at PSA, it can’t hurt to check out the card population, as well, to see if it’s an over-graded card.
Recent releases, low serial number cards, low grading pop cards, and other rarities may be hard to find values for via these methods. In these cases, it’s probably best to look at similar items or potentially rely on your gut feeling about the card’s gradability.
Of course, there are a few other things to remember when considering the grading equation. One, if you just want to protect and encase a card for your personal collection, go for it. Slabs can make a great-looking card even better looking.
Another time when getting a card graded, even if the equation doesn’t suggest it makes sense, is if a card is one you expect to go up in value in the future. This may be a player on the verge of a breakout season, an under-the-radar prospect, or another card for lower prices.
So, the decision of whether to grade a card or not is pretty straightforward. It requires a little bit of research on your part, and of course, there are exceptions to keep in mind, but hopefully, this article helped take the mystery out of the decision.
What’s your take on card grading? Do you grade cards? How do you decide which cards to sub? Let us know what’s on your mind at CardLines on Twitter.
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