Should You Grade Your Pokémon Cards Before Selling?

Grading can turn a nice vintage card into a much more valuable one. It can also cost you money and months of waiting for nothing. Here is how to decide.

What grading actually does

A grading company checks that the card is real, scores its condition (usually on a 1 to 10 scale), and seals it in a tamper evident plastic case called a slab. Buyers pay more for graded cards because the condition question has already been answered by a third party.

When grading is worth it

• Vintage holos, 1st Editions, and key cards that are already worth a good amount raw.
• Cards that look clean: sharp corners, clean edges, a scratch free surface, and good centering.
• Cards where the difference between grades is big money. A high grade can be worth many times a mid grade.

When it is not worth it

• Cards with obvious wear like whitening, creases, or heavy scratches. A low grade often adds little or nothing.
• Lower value cards where the grading fee eats most of the gain.
• When you need to sell soon. Turnaround times can run weeks to months.

Check condition before you submit

Look at the card under a bright light, front and back.

• Centering. Are the borders even left to right and top to bottom?
• Corners. Sharp, or soft and rounded?
• Edges. Look for white chipping, especially on the back.
• Surface. Tilt the card. Holo scratches, print lines, and dents show up at an angle.

PSA, BGS, CGC, or TAG?

• PSA is the biggest name in vintage Pokémon and has the deepest resale market.
• BGS (Beckett) gives subgrades for centering, corners, edges, and surface, and its top grades carry a premium.
• CGC has grown fast in Pokémon and is widely accepted.
• TAG is newer and uses imaging technology to grade.

Fees and turnaround times change often and depend on the card’s value, so check each company’s current pricing before you send anything.

The other option: sell it raw

If you do not want to pay fees, wait months, and risk a lower grade than you hoped, you can sell the card raw. A buyer who grades takes on that risk and that wait. You get paid now. We buy both raw vintage singles and graded slabs.

Quick answers

Which grading company is best for vintage Pokémon?

PSA has the biggest resale market for vintage Pokémon, with BGS and CGC also widely traded. We buy slabs from PSA, BGS, CGC, and TAG.

Do you buy ungraded cards?

Yes. We buy raw vintage singles, especially clean holos and 1st Editions.

Can you tell me if my card is worth grading?

Send clear photos of the front and back and we will give you an honest read along with an offer.

Have a card you are not sure about? Get an Offer and send a few photos.