Is the sum
above zero?
Know the raw price.
Start from what the raw card really sold for, not from what sellers ask. Look at recent sales of the same card, the same printing and the same language.
Asking prices are wishes. A sale is what someone paid.
Know the price
at each grade.
The gap between grades is where grading pays back, and it is not the same on every card. Here is one card, from real sales as of 26 October 2026.
A 9 adds $275 over raw. A PSA 10 adds $2,060. The same number can also sell for different prices at different houses, so compare the house you would send to.
- Raw60 sales$1,780
- Grade 9$2,055
- PSA 10$3,840
- BGS 10 Black Label$29,400
Be honest
about the grade.
The grade decides everything, and you don't choose it. Graders look at four things: centering, corners, edges and surface, front and back. One soft corner, or a scratch you only see in the light, can cost a full grade.
Think in chances, not hopes. For each grade the card could get, take its chance times the price at that grade, add them up, and compare with the raw price.
Our scanner gives you an estimated grade and how sure it is. With PRO you also see the four sub-grades and every defect circled on your own photos.
- Raw$100
- A 9 sells for$160
- A 10 sells for$400
- Your guess1 in 4 for a 10
¼ × $400 + ¾ × $160 = $220 on average.
That is $120 over raw, before costs.
Not a real card and not a PredicTCG estimate.
Count the costs
and the wait.
The fee
Each house sets its own, by service level; some tie it to the card's declared value.
Shipping both ways and insurance
For a valuable card, these add up.
The wait
From a few days to several months, depending on the house and the service level. Prices can move while you wait.
Fees and times change often. Check the house's own page before you send.
Pick the house.
Six houses grade trading cards, each on its own scale: PSA, BGS, CGC, SGC, TAG and ACE. Buyers don't pay the same for the same number at every house. Before you choose, look at real sales of your card at each house and grade.
Every scale, side by sideSend it,
or keep it raw?
It usually makes sense when
- the grade you'll likely get sells for clearly more than raw, after all costs;
- a top grade is in reach: clean corners, sharp edges, centering close to even;
- you want the card checked as authentic and sealed in a case for years.
Keep it raw when
- a 9 or below sells for about the raw price;
- you can see whitening, a crease or a dent without trying;
- the centering is clearly off: for a PSA 10, PSA asks for approximately 55/45 or better on the front;
- the fee and shipping are a big part of the card's value.
Check the card
before you send it.
- 1
One bright light
Sleeve the card and look at it under a single bright light.
- 2
Corners and edges
All four corners and all four edges, front and back.
- 3
Tilt it
Scratches, dents and print lines show up at an angle.
- 4
Centering
Are the borders even, side to side and top to bottom?
- 5
Or scan itFREE
Four photos, and our proprietary grading engine checks all of this for you.
Grading questions.
Is it worth grading a card worth less than the grading fee?
Rarely. Grading makes sense when the grade you are likely to get sells for clearly more than raw, after the fee, shipping and the wait. For a low-value card that only happens when a top grade sells for many times the raw price.
What grade do I need for grading to be worth it?
It depends on the card. On some cards a 9 sells for little more than raw and only a 10 adds real value; on others even an 8 does. Compare real sales at each grade for your card.
How much does grading cost?
Each house sets its own fees by service level, and some tie them to the card's declared value. Fees change often, so check the house's own page before you send. Add shipping both ways and insurance.
How long does grading take?
From a few days to several months, depending on the house and the service level. Times change, so check the house's own page.
Can I know my grade before I send it?
You can estimate it. Our scanner gives an estimated grade from four photos; PRO adds four sub-grades and a defect map. Only a grading house gives an official grade.
Does grading protect the card?
Yes. A graded card is sealed in a hard case, and the house checks that it is authentic before it grades it.
Which grading house should I use?
Look at real sales of your card at each house and grade: buyers don't pay the same for the same number everywhere. PSA, BGS, CGC, SGC, TAG and ACE each use their own scale.
