What PSA grade is worth buying?

Many people who buy graded PSA cards only focus on 9s and 10s. Those are the 'Mint' and 'Gem Mint' grades. Some people claim that a PSA 8 — 'Near Mint' — holds significant value compared to lower numbers but historically it doesn't perform well at all when compared to PSA 9s and 10s.

What is worth getting PSA graded?

Regardless if you're talking counterfeits or reprints, PSA card grading services can be an excellent tool to verify a card's authenticity. That's not to say that PSA is correct 100% of the time and fakes don't occasionally slip through their hands.

Is it worth buying PSA graded cards?

So in the end, does it make sense to grade cards? If you'd like to increase the value, and are certain the card you're grading will receive a great score, then sure. On the other hand, if you simply want to authenticate or protect your collection, then yes as well!

Is a PSA grade 8 good?

A PSA NM-MT 8 is a super high-end card that appears Mint 9 at first glance, but upon closer inspection, the card can exhibit the following: a very slight wax stain on reverse, slightest fraying at one or two corners, a minor printing imperfection, and/or slightly off-white borders.

Is PSA grade 7 good?

1952 Topps Mickey Mantle in PSA Near Mint 7. NM 7 (Near Mint): A PSA NM 7 is a card showing slight surface wear visible only upon close inspection. There may be slight fraying on some corners. Picture focus may be slightly out-of-register although a minor printing blemish is acceptable.

Introducing PSA's 2023 Service Level & Pricing Updates

What does a Grade 10 card look like?

For a card to earn a 10, the edges of a card must be flawless to the naked eye and virtually perfect when looked at under magnification. The final criteria looked at by card graders is the surface of the card. A card's surface is susceptible to loss of glossiness, wax stains, scratching, and printing defects.

What does a PSA 9 card look like?

MINT 9: MINT

A PSA Mint 9 is a superb condition card that exhibits only one of the following minor flaws: a very slight wax stain on reverse, a minor printing imperfection or slightly off-white borders. Centering must be approximately 60/40 to 65/35 or better on the front and 90/10 or better on the reverse.

How much does a PSA 10 increase value?

In that case, the 9 was worth 2.5x as much as the raw. PSA 10s are worth about 3.5x as much as PSA 9. So if you're getting your cards graded, that means you score big with a 10. If you're buying, it means you'll be shelling out the big bucks to a Gem Mint 10.

What is a Grade 9 card?

If your card gets a grade of 9, you should be very happy. You'll be able to earn book value – or more – for your card. It is also referred to as “mint 9” and is considered the condition that it was in when it was in the pack. If it gets a score of 9.5, it's called a “gem-mint”, signifying that it's nearly flawless.

Is it better to buy PSA 9 or 10?

The Price Differences In Graded Pokémon Cards

Using the PSA Price Guide, a PSA 10 of this card is valued at around $375,000. In comparison, a PSA 9 drops down to around $20,000. That is a huge drop in value for just one number, and depending on the collector, a 9 could be just as good as a 10.

Are PSA 10 cards worth buying?

PSA 10 cards are always popular with collectors, no matter the number of copies there are on the registry. They're given the designation 'Gem Mint'; as that's the grade they've received from the company. Of course, the grading scale goes from 1-10, so a 10 grade is the best copy you'll be able to find.

Does a PSA 9 add value?

10 sells for about 7x more. That's a big difference! Comparatively, the BGS 9.5 only sells for about 3.5x as much. PSA 9s are worth 2x as much as the raw card.

Is Beckett or PSA better?

Beckett Grading Services has a lot more bells and whistles than PSA: they offer color-coded tags for the cards based on their grade (gold is a 9.5 or 10, for example), they award subscores so you can see exactly how your cards faired in their four subcategories, and they have a “Black Label” offering for the rare ...

Why is PSA so expensive?

PSA, BGS and other popular grading services have increased their prices because… Well because they can – It's like anything else, if demand for it goes up, so does the value. The higher prices also mean lower and more manageable submission numbers, but higher value, which is better for the grading services.

What is the most graded PSA card of all time?

1989 Topps Traded PSA 9 leads the way as the most graded sports card of all time.

Why are PSA 10 cards so expensive?

10-Point Grading Process

PSA grading is expensive because they use a 10-point grading process to grade and value cards. Not every grading company has such an extensive grading process. Since PSA does, it makes its services a bit more expensive.

How hard is it to get a PSA 10?

Earning a PSA 10 grade on average is quite hard, but is highly dependent on a card's age, scarcity, and condition sensitivity. Newer cards generally have a higher probability of earning a PSA 10, since a collector will immediately protect a card after pulling from a pack.

Does PSA 9.5 exist?

How the Scale Works. PSA will add a half-point grade within each of the 1-10 numbers with the exception of a 9.5 grade.

Is BGS 10 better than PSA 10?

The average PSA 10 sells at least 2.5x more than a BGS 9.5.

PSA 10 cards scored anything from 91 – 100 on the grading scale, while BGS 9.5 cards received 91 – 96. BGS reserves the perfect 10-score grading for really “perfect” cards without blemish, while PSA leaves a greater leeway.

How many PSA 10 Charizards are there?

Now we begin to understand just how rare the Charizard is, especially in a PSA 10! In fact, only 18 of them exist, and I doubt that number will ever change.

What is the rarest Pokémon card in the world PSA 10?

As of August 2022, the most expensive Pokémon card is a Professional Sports Authenticator grade 10 Pikachu Illustrator card that social media personality and boxer Logan Paul purchased for $5.275 million, according to Guinness World Records. A PSA grade of 10 means the card was in perfect condition.

What is the oldest PSA 10 card?

Manufactured in 1910, this Ty Cobb E98 Red card has remained perfectly preserved since, and is believed to be one of the most scarce and well-conditioned pre-war cards in circulation. Only two Ty Cobb E98 PSA Gem Mint 10's are known to exist in the world.

Should I grade all my cards?

You should ONLY get your cards graded IF it will increase the value or make the sale of the card(s) easier. You should NOT get your card graded just because you THINK it will improve the value. Grading cards costs money.

How long does it take to grade 10 cards?

Approximately 3 months. Q9. I see others advertise that my cards can come back quicker.