Picking the right grading company for your cards is one of the most important decisions hobbyists can make for their collection. If they choose to grade cards at all, of course.
Along with the eye appeal of the holder itself, it’s important for collectors to understand that not all third-party grading companies are created equal. In fact, while some collectors do have brand loyalty, many will choose different companies based on the cards being submitted and the objective for the order itself.
Whether you’re a new collector or a hobby veteran looking to grade for the first time, the cllct guide to picking the right grading company will get you started.
OTHER RESOURCES:
- The cllct Guide: How to get your cards graded
- The cllct Guide: How to buy graded sports and trading cards
- The cllct Guide: How to attend a card show
- The cllct Guide: How to price your cards
Why you should grade cards
One of the most common questions many collectors have is why cards are graded at all. The overwhelming majority of cards are in raw condition, after all.
For many collectors, the grading process simply adds a significant amount of value. First and foremost, the major grading companies authenticate cards to ensure they are both real and haven’t been tampered with.
In some cases, cards might appear to be in mint condition because they are either completely fake or an alternation like trimming or recoloring has been made to make them appear in better condition.
The encapsulation process and plastic holders grading companies use to protect cards are high quality and can be considered long-term solutions above a penny sleeve and top-loader.
Likely the most popular part of the grading process for most collectors, the number grade assigned to assess physical condition can greatly impact a card’s secondary market value. It’s important to know that while not all grades are created equal — one PSA 10 might be better than another PSA 10 — they can at least create a helpful baseline when buying or selling.
The major graders
There are dozens of graders to choose from at any given time, though there are — at least in 2024 — four major companies the majority of collectors work with: PSA, SGC, CGC and BGS.
Possibly the most important distinction between the major four grading companies and the dozens of smaller brands is the authentication process. While the four major companies check to make sure cards are both real and haven’t been tampered with, it’s safe to assume the overwhelming majority of brands outside the major four don’t provide this service at all.
The majority of small third-party graders only provide a service that assigns a number to assess the card’s physical condition before placing it in a protective holder. This process is certainly valuable to some extent, but the authentication process provided by the major companies is a critical part of the process.
Feel free to use any grader you like if an attractive holder and number grade is what you’re looking for. Strongly consider using one of the major four companies if the authentication process is also important.
Below we’ll cover the four major graders, their histories, and why collectors typically use their services. If you haven’t already, read the cllct guide to determining whether your cards should be graded at all before you proceed.
PSA: Founded in 1991 to grade sports cards, Professional Sports Authenticator has grown over the decades to include non-sports cards as well as categories such as sealed packs, tickets, photographs and even Funko Pops.
Though it took PSA eight years to grade its first 1 million cards, it has evolved into the largest grader. According to third-party grading tracker GemRate, PSA graded 13.5 million items in 2023 — the second-largest company graded just 1.7 million items.
PSA’s popularity and large market share has resulted in a price premium over other graders on the secondary market. Outside of exceptions for specific items or a strong preference for another grader, many hobbyists would simply recommend grading any card with PSA because of the secondary market value compared to similar cards.
In fact, the price premium in some cases can be so high that some collectors will purchase cards similar in quality from other graders with the intention to perform a “crack-and-cross.” In this process, a card is removed from another holder and resubmitted to PSA. For some cards, the price difference between a PSA 10 and similar cards like an SGC 10, CGC 10 or BGS 9.5 is so large hobbyists can make a profit selling the card even after the additional grading fees.
PSA utilizes a 10-point grading scale with half-point grades available until 9 and above. There are no 9.5 grades. Cards graded by PSA are also easily recognizable by a thin, clear holder and a simple label with a red or blue border. This simple design is heavily preferred by many collectors, while others prefer additional information such as sub-grades — the individual scores given to a card’s centering, corners, edges and surface condition.
While PSA is currently the clear market leader, it competed for years with Beckett Grading Services (BGS) to be the hobby’s favorite grader. Currently considered the favorite among most hobbyists for ultra-modern cards, PSA’s popularity exploded during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
When to choose PSA: The secondary market value compared to other grading companies simply can’t be ignored, making PSA a strong choice for any collector submitting cards without a strong preference for another grader.
PSA is often the preferred grader for ultra-modern sports cards as well as a variety of non-sports and trading card game categories such as Pokemon, Magic: The Gathering, Star Wars and Marvel.
While PSA is the most popular grading company, that doesn’t mean all expensive cards are exclusively graded by PSA. As of this writing, only two of the 10 most expensive sports card sales that have been publicly recorded have been holdered by PSA.
Though simple and easy to understand, PSA’s basic grading scale can also be considered limited for some collectors. Because of grading’s subjective nature, not all PSA 10s are created equal — one PSA 10 can be just good enough while another could be completely perfect.
Additional transparency provided by other graders through sub-grades can provide significant value if a card secures a BGS 10 Pristine or BGS 10 Black Label. These additional distinctions can lift a card’s secondary market value above a PSA 10 and the hobby’s most experienced collectors might use this to their advantage when submitting their finest items.
CGC: The newest of the four major grading companies, CGC Cards is the trading card division of Certified Guaranty Company, which also grades comic books, magazines, video games, VHS tapes and concert posters.
CGC added CGC Trading Cards to its lineup of offerings in 2020 to grade Pokemon and Magic: The Gathering cards and quickly followed with the launch of Certified Sports Guaranty (CSG) for sports cards. The two divisions combined in 2023 to create CGC Cards, which is now the second-largest grading service with 1.7 million items graded in 2023.
A long track record of working with pop culture-related categories has extended into the trading card space for CGC. Though CGC Cards pushed into sports in recent years, few collectors have used CGC for the category.
In 2023, just 314K of the 1.7 million items graded by CGC Cards were considered sports cards — the fewest of any of the four major graders. The 1.4 million TCG and non-sports cards graded by CGC Cards were second behind only PSA’s 6.2 million items.
CGC Cards operates using a 10-point grading scale that also includes half-point grades. Earlier iterations of CGC- and CSG-graded cards might have featured sub-grades, though the service is no longer active under CGC Cards.
Since first launching grading for trading cards, the CGC brand has earned praise from collectors for a thin and extremely clear holder. The design of the labels has received mixed reviews with one criticism being a lack of continuity between trading card labels and those for other categories.
When to choose CGC: Brand continuity and subject matter expertise have been major drivers for CGC Cards since launch.
For many collectors, there’s value in submitting multiple types of items to the same company at the same time. In CGC’s case, it’s not uncommon for hobbyists to grade trading cards as well as video games and comic books or magazines — some collectors will even pair similar images on trading cards with their source material from the original comics.
Many hobbyists have also grown to trust CGC for pop-culture categories over the years and have chosen to grade their cards with the same company. To some collectors, especially those that never intend to sell any of their collection, the secondary market value provided by a company like PSA doesn’t matter.
Continuity in holder design matters to collectors as well. While CGC-graded cards don't share the same labels as other categories, the holders for each do share similar characteristics that even non-hobbyists can determine are from the same company.
SGC: Founded in 1998, Sports Card Guaranty (SGC) was the first major challenger to PSA. Decades later, it remains one of the most trusted graders in the industry.
Acquired by PSA’s parent company, Collectors, in 2024, SGC remains its own company with its own areas of expertise. For many collectors, no grader can be trusted with vintage sports cards more than SGC.
In fact, the three most expensive sports card sales with public records have all been holdered by SGC. A 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle SGC 9.5 sold for $12.6 million in 2022, a 1909-11 T206 Honus Wagner sold for $7.25 million and a 1914 Baltimore News Babe Ruth SGC 3 sold for $7.2 million.
SGC utilizes a 10-point grading scale with half-point grades. In addition to an SGC 10, the company also offers an SGC 10 Pristine for “virtually flawless” cards.
Referred to as tuxedos, SGC-graded cards are easily spotted by an all-black holder and simple white label. SGC doesn’t offer sub-grades.
A distant third to PSA and BGS for years, SGC surged in popularity during and after the pandemic. While PSA and BGS were flooded with submissions that eventually forced complete shutdowns, SGC remained open longer and provided fast turnaround times with strong customer service.
The hobby’s trust with SGC continued in 2023 as it graded the third-most items among the four major graders with 1.2 million. SGC’s 29 percent increase in items over 2022 was the largest percentage change of the four.
Not unlike CGC Cards, collectors look to SGC for a single category, but submit almost exclusively sports cards. Though SGC has pushed into categories such as Marvel and "Star Wars" cards, it graded around just 125,000 non-sports items in 2023.
When to choose SGC: To some, it’s better to be great at one thing than good at a lot of things. That is the case with SGC, which only grades trading cards. While PSA and CGC grade a variety of items, SGC maintains a narrow focus on trading cards with a high expertise in vintage items.
SGC’s focus has also allowed it to offer much faster turnaround times than other graders at cheaper prices. While a standard service level at most graders might require 30 or more business days, SGC has often been able to deliver in 10 or fewer.
The “Tuxedo Time” design has also been a hit among some collectors — especially those looking for a different aesthetic than a basic, clear holder. The black holder and white label have mixed reviews overall, however, and the visual pop it provides for some is a miss for others.
Though SGC has holdered some of the most expensive cards of all time, there is a large delta with PSA in terms of secondary market value for the majority of cards in similar grades. A favorite among many vintage collectors, other hobbyists simply prefer other options for ultra-modern cards and non-sports or TCG categories.
BGS: Few companies across any category have meant more to sports-card collectors than Beckett. Founded by Dr. James Beckett in 1984, Beckett Media has long been known for its various price guides over the years. For many collectors, purchasing a Beckett Price Guide was just as important as anything else when visiting a local card shop.
Beckett expanded into the grading space with Beckett Grading Services in 1999, and has since been most associated with the additional transparency provided through sub-grades.
To many collectors, Beckett’s sub-grades have been the most important aspect of the grading process. Knowing why a card graded the way it did is just as important as the grade itself.
Sub-grades have been also used by savvy hobbyists to make a profit. The previously mentioned “crack-and-cross” method has been popular with collectors using BGS sub-grades to find undervalued cards that are strong candidates to earn PSA 10s.
The crack-and-cross method often involves a collector finding undervalued BGS 10s or BGS 9.5 with specific sub-grades. Strong candidates for a PSA 10 might be what is called a “true gem” BGS 9.5 — these cards have all four sub-grades of a 9.5 or higher.
BGS-graded cards are identifiable by thicker slabs and labels that often contain sub-grades. The sturdier slab has been a favorite among collectors when submitting thicker cards that feature memorabilia or autographs, but have mixed reviews for standard size cards.
Beckett operates using a 10-point grading scale in addition to half-point grades.
After battling with PSA for years to be the hobby’s favorite grader, BGS lost ground during and after the pandemic. BGS graded just over 772,000 cards in 2023 for a distant fourth place among the four major graders.
Outside of Beckett loyalists — a group that is quickly dwindling — BGS has become less popular among the average collector and is now often used for very specific cards. A dated design for the holder and label paired with a lack of innovation in recent years has greatly impacted Beckett’s overall market share, with some believing the company will never recover.
When to choose BGS: Beckett has maintained a small market share due to brand loyalty and its current standing as the only grader among the major four that provides transparency through sub-grades.
For some collectors, sub-grades are simply a must-have during the grading process.
While some of the hobby’s savviest collectors have used sub-grades to cross over to PSA 10s and make a profit, others have specifically chosen Beckett because of the ability to score a BGS 10 Pristine or BGS 10 Black Label.
According to GemRate, Beckett graded nearly as many non-sports and TCG cards (385k) in 2023 as it did sports cards (387k). This is because some of the hobby’s savviest collectors submit TCG and non-sports categories — categories that often have much better quality control than sports cards — to Beckett in order to secure an extremely high gem rate.
This process is clear when examining BGS’ gem rate across the different categories. Cards submitted to Beckett in 2023 gemmed (BGS 9.5 or higher) 45 percent of the time. The highest among the major four graders, that number is lifted by a 60 percent gem rate for TCG and non-sports categories. Sports cards submitted to BGS gemmed just 30 percent of the time.
This number is so high because a large number of experienced Pokemon and TCG collectors submit their finest cards to Beckett rather than PSA or CGC. These hobbyists hope to score a BGS 10 Black Label, which often carries a significant secondary market price premium over a PSA 10.
To these experienced collectors, the risk is worth the reward.
Beyond brand loyalty or an attempt to score a BGS 10 Black Label, Beckett is still used for thicker cards often containing memorabilia. Despite mixed overall reviews on its thicker holder, many believe it lends itself better to memorabilia and patch cards than thicker versions of the PSA holder.
Ben Burrows is a reporter and editor for cllct.