Psa grading examples

Before submitting your cards to PSA for grading, you want to inspect and grade them yourself.

Pokemon TCG. Come and learn a little about this grading system, companies for this purpose, evaluation of the conditions of the cards to add value in cataloging and more. By Rodrigo William. Hello, readers. And in this article, we will talk about graduated cards and how this market works, to be aware of the selection criteria and valuation of your collection.

Psa grading examples

Ryan Barone ballcardgenius, Card Expert is a lifelong member of the hobby. Affiliate Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. As a leader in authenticating sports cards and other items, PSA has the daunting task of striving for perfection every single day. I mean, when the specific grade of an item can drastically impact its value, the process of grading becomes all the more important. To start, below we have what is a PSA 10 Mickey Mantle looks like one of the most expensive trading cards ever …. This means that the card is virtually flawless with little to no imperfections. Why is a 10 so valuable? A raw trading card is one that comes directly out of a pack and has not been authenticated or graded, and barely handles. Thus, some raw trading cards can come straight out of a pack and be listed for a good chunk of money. The next tier down for a PSA trading card that has been graded and authenticated is classified as a Mint 9. Not necessarily…it really depends on the population. A Near-Mint 8 will look very similar to a Mint 9, but upon further examination, the item might display two slightly frayed corners instead of just one that you would see on a PSA Mint 9. A PSA Near-Mint 8 does not draw a whole lot of attention in the modern era, as the value of these graded cards compare similarly to cards that are raw and unauthenticated, perhaps less. However, a PSA Near-Mint 8 can still be an extremely valuable card in cases of vintage and of course, antique baseball cards.

In order to achieve a Fair grade, a card must be fully intact. You do not want to send those cards in for grading. Affiliate Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.

Card grading is a process in which a collector submits their valuable and in their opinion the most perfectly conditioned cards to a third-party service ready to be examined. Grades are determined by a series of various different criterias, such as; centering, surfaces, corners and more. After thoroughly being assessed in each of these criterias, the cards are then given a specific score, usually a numerical score between one and ten. The benefits of card grading include indisputable provenance of authenticity, no subjective condition assignments and an accountability system through an online database. All of these factors combine to, more often than not, increase the value of the card when compared to an ungraded card in equal or similar condition.

Ryan Barone ballcardgenius, Card Expert is a lifelong member of the hobby. Affiliate Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. As a leader in authenticating sports cards and other items, PSA has the daunting task of striving for perfection every single day. I mean, when the specific grade of an item can drastically impact its value, the process of grading becomes all the more important.

Psa grading examples

But what exactly does "PSA grading" mean and why has it become so significant? Before we can fully appreciate PSA grading, it helps to understand the roots of the company. The goal was to bring consistency, accuracy and credibility to grading cards, beginning with their first product — the iconic Topps baseball set. This gave buyers much greater confidence in assessing value. Submit — Organize your cards, fill out submission form, package securely and ship to PSA. Include declared value for insurance. Authentication — Experts examine and validate authenticity of cards using established criteria.

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All four corners show minor whitening and the right side has heavier chipping than the left. Any scratching will reduce your overall grade significantly. Corners may have slightly graduated fraying. This points out how important it is to inspect the back of the card. Card may show some off-whiteness of borders. Other forms of classification: meaning from Mint to Damaged. You need to inspect this area thoroughly. Card grading is a process in which a collector submits their valuable and in their opinion the most perfectly conditioned cards to a third-party service ready to be examined. These have signs of subtle wear but visible at a glance when playing when they belonged to a competitive player or that the collector did not put in the sleeve, but which is still not completely damaged, which is an indication to pay attention to the commercial value. The next tier down for a PSA trading card that has been graded and authenticated is classified as a Mint 9.

Ryan Barone ballcardgenius, Card Expert is a lifelong member of the hobby. Affiliate Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

They are usually those cards with small wear of white dots on the side edges of the card, very subtle that practically only having a more rigorous and more profound analysis of the card to notice. I mean that this is a great example of a strong eight. Some surface wear will be apparent, along with possible light scuffing or light scratches. Focus may be somewhat off-register and edges may exhibit notoceable wear. A PSA Gem Mint 10 card must be free of staining of any kind, but an allowance may be made for a slight printing imperfection, if it doens't impair the overall appeal of the card. Inspecting the edges with the naked eye is done by seasoned Pokemon collectors because they know what to look for. The main issue is going to be the back. These have signs of subtle wear but visible at a glance when playing when they belonged to a competitive player or that the collector did not put in the sleeve, but which is still not completely damaged, which is an indication to pay attention to the commercial value. There may be minor chipping on edges. Graduated in Architecture and Urbanism, Graphic Design and freelance illustrator. They have been taken out of the pack and maybe shuffled around or played a few times. Why is a 10 so valuable? Focus of picture may be slightly out-of-register.