Let’s get this out of the way: Grading can turn a dusty $5 card into a crisp $150 payday… or it can turn $45 and 3 months of your life into a PSA 6 paperweight. Either way, it’s a gamble—so you might as well know the odds before throwing your wallet at it.
Breaking Down the Big 3: PSA, SGC, BGS
Each grading company comes with its own vibe. PSA is the high school quarterback who peaked but still commands respect. SGC is the quiet kid who’s suddenly jacked. And BGS? That’s your buddy who brings spreadsheets to fantasy drafts—cool if you’re into subgrades and slab thickness.
1. PSA (Professional Sports Authenticator)
- Cost: Starts at $19 per card (Value service via bulk) but can hit $150+ for Express or higher tiers.
- Turnaround: Typically 25–65 business days unless you pay up. So they take their SWEET TIME. Goodness it’s forever.
- Market Premium: PSA 10 is still king. You’ll generally see 1.5–3x higher sale prices compared to raw or even SGC 10.
Quick tip: You don’t have to submit directly to PSA. Many group submitters offer lower rates and take care of paperwork—but choose wisely. Bad submitters lose cards. Good ones message you like it’s a doctor calling with lab results.
2. SGC (Sportscard Guaranty Corporation)
- Cost: Flat $15–$18 per card depending on volume.
- Turnaround: Consistently fast—sometimes under 10 business days.
- Market Premium: Solid, especially for vintage. For modern, SGC 10s sell at a discount vs PSA 10s but are gaining.
SGC is especially good for vintage or cards with fast-flip potential—especially if you’re not trying to wait two election cycles for PSA to return your order.
3. BGS (Beckett Grading Services)
- Cost: Around $20–$30 for base services, but premium pricing kicks in fast if you want subgrades.
- Turnaround: Inconsistent—some say 20 days, others still waiting for their 2020 submissions.
- Market Premium: BGS 9.5 used to be gold, but it’s cooled off. Still, it can be strong for high-end chromium cards (think Bowman Chrome autos).
Unless you’re obsessed with subgrades or slabs thicker than your phone, BGS isn’t the default anymore—but for certain collectors, it still holds clout.
So What’s the ROI?
Let’s walk through three real-world grading flips that worked—and one that flopped harder than a Leaf product launch.
Flip #1: 2020 Prizm Justin Herbert RC
- Raw Purchase: $25
- Grading (PSA): $19
- Final Sale (PSA 10): $150
- Profit: $106 (after shipping/fees)
Verdict: Clear win. This is why people play the grading game.
Flip #2: 2023 Topps Chrome Adley Rutschman Refractor
- Raw Purchase: $10 (via dime box at a show)
- Grading (SGC): $15
- Final Sale (SGC 10): $48
- Profit: $20+
Verdict: Quick flip. Lower upside but faster turnaround. Perfect for volume sellers or people with the attention span of a TikTok scroll.
Flip #3: 1996 Kobe Bryant Topps RC
- Raw Purchase: $300 (claimed NM raw)
- Grading (BGS): $25
- Final Grade: BGS 8.5
- Final Sale: $250
- Loss: $75
Verdict: Oof. Vintage = risk. If you can’t see micro-edge wear, don’t pay like it’s mint.
When to Grade (And When to Run)
If you’re sitting on shiny stuff from flagship, Chrome, Optic, Prizm, or Bowman—especially rookies—grading might be your golden ticket. That’s especially true if the card looks clean and comps show a big gap between raw and PSA/SGC 10 prices.
On the other hand, if your card already looks like it went through TSA, save your money. No slab will fix surface scratches or dinged corners. You’re better off pricing to sell fast and moving on.
Bonus Tip: Pre-Grading Tools That Actually Help
If you’re sending in bulk or just hate surprises, consider grabbing a Jeweler’s Loupe to inspect edges, surface, and centering. Is it nerdy? Yes. But so is owning 7 copies of a Topps Update pitcher who got DFA’d last week.
Final Thoughts (Because You’re Still Here)
Grading isn’t magic. It’s a tool. Use it well, and you unlock higher flips, stronger trust, and fatter margins. Use it wrong, and you just donated $25 to the slab gods. Want to get better at spotting raw card gems? Start with our guide on how to spot undervalued rookie cards and work from there.
And hey—if you’re still not sure whether to grade, here’s the rule of thumb: if it would make your heart sink to see a 7, you probably shouldn’t submit it.
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