How do you get cards graded?

Choose a grading company (PSA, CGC or BGS), create an account and build a submission declaring each card's value, protect each card in a sleeve and semi-rigid holder, and ship it insured. The grader inspects, scores and encapsulates the card and returns it in a sealed slab.

How do you get sports cards graded?

The process for baseball, basketball and football cards is the same as for Pokémon: submit to PSA, CGC or BGS (or SGC, popular for vintage sports), pack the cards in semi-rigid holders and ship insured. Choose the grader whose slabs sell best for your sport and era.

How much does it cost and how long does it take?

Grading usually costs about $15 to $75+ per card depending on tier and declared value, plus shipping. Turnaround ranges from days on express tiers to several months on bulk tiers.

Which grading company is best?

PSA has the largest market and most liquid slabs, CGC is competitive on price and turnaround, and BGS is favoured for subgrades and its Black Label 10. For vintage sports, SGC is also well regarded. The best choice depends on your cards and resale market.

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How to Get Cards Graded: The Complete Guide

Whether it's a Pokémon holo, a rookie baseball card or a One Piece leader, professional grading follows the same path: authenticate, score, and seal the card in a slab. Here's the whole process, plus what changes by card type, company and budget.

The grading process in six steps

Decide what to grade. Grade cards where the graded value minus the fee clearly beats the raw price. See is my card worth grading.
Pick a company — PSA, CGC or BGS (and SGC for vintage sports).
Build a submission online: add each card, declare its value, choose a service tier.
Protect and pack — penny sleeve + semi-rigid holder per card, padded box.
Ship insured with tracking to the declared value.
Receive your slabs — graded, encapsulated and returned.

That's the backbone. The details differ a little by card type.

How to get Pokémon cards graded

Pokémon is the most-graded TCG in the world, and PSA and CGC slabs are both highly liquid for modern sets. Follow the dedicated walkthrough: how to get Pokémon cards graded. Watch centring on full-arts and surface on holos — those are where 10s are won or lost.

How to get sports cards graded

Baseball, basketball and football cards use the exact same submission process. Two extra notes:

Vintage sports — many collectors prefer SGC for pre-1980 cards; its slabs and grading style are well respected in that era.
Modern rookies — PSA and BGS dominate; a BGS 9.5 with clean subgrades or a PSA 10 rookie can command a big premium.

Pack and ship exactly as you would for Pokémon — semi-rigid holders, never loose in the box.

Other TCGs (One Piece, Magic, Yu-Gi-Oh!)

Grading works the same for any trading card. One Piece TCG grading has grown fast; PSA and CGC both slab it. If you collect or sell One Piece, see our beginner's guide to One Piece TCG.

Choosing a grader

Each company has strengths — PSA for market size and liquidity, CGC for price/turnaround, BGS for subgrades and the Black Label, SGC for vintage sports. Full comparison: PSA vs CGC vs BGS.

Cost and turnaround

Budget roughly $15–$75+ per card plus shipping, with turnaround from days (express) to months (bulk). Full breakdown with a tier table: how much does it cost to get cards graded.

Graded cards deserve a marketplace that doesn't tax your win. List slabs on The Bubble Art with the cert number and a verifiable Digital Passport, and keep 97% with 0% commission. Buyers see the grade, the cert and every angle.

Sell graded cards — keep 97%

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