When did card grading start?

History. PSA was launched in July 1991 by David Hall, owner of the coin grading company Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS), to serve collectors as a third-party card grader.

When did Beckett start grading cards?

Beckett Grading Services

Launched in 2001, Beckett announced Beckett Vintage Grading (BVG), catering to vintage sports cards pre-1981. If you're intrigued by sports card shows, you should capitalize on Beckett's Raw Card Review.

Who started grading cards first?

Accugrade was the first sports card grading company, founded by Alan Hager back in 1984. Hager actually developed the 1 to 10 grading scale used by all of the major grading companies today.

What was the first card graded by PSA?

PSA Flip Type #1 - The OG, issued from 1991 to 1992

This is the first ever holder issued by PSA; notably the first ever card graded by PSA with the Cert# 00000001 was the famed Gretzky T206 Wagner card which obviously got PSA in lot of hot water.

When did BGS start?

Right around that same time, in 1998 and 1999, not only did PSA's card grading business start taking off, but SGC (in 1998) and BGS (in 1999) also started grading cards.

Card Grading Behind the Scenes

Is BGS 10 rare?

BGS 10s are extremely rare (impossible for older cards) and is comparable to Certified Guaranty Company (CGC) comic book grading, which has many a relatively high number of 9.8 grades and very few perfect 10s.

Is PSA or BGS better?

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.

Is PSA 9 good?

A Mint 9, as defined by PSA, is a card that is in “superb condition” and has only one minor flaw. This flaw can be a range of things, but most commonly PSA will grade a card a Mint 9 if there is simply a “minor printing imperfection”.

Is PSA 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.

Why did PSA stop grading?

Before the decision to stop accepting submissions was enacted, PSA was handling a massive backlog of cards. Turner said that the company did not even have the capacity to open the packages submitted and process them accordingly.

Who grades cards the hardest?

PSA is known for their tough grading standards and their registry which allows collectors to register their PSA graded baseball cards along with the grade. This is both a way to "keep score" and a way to market your cards.

How old is the grading system?

The earliest form of grading was exit exams for degrees, as seen as early as 1646 at Harvard. The first college grading scale surfaced in 1785 when Yale created a grade scale of four descriptive adjectives: Optimi, Second Optimi, Inferiores, Perjores.

Is PSG grading legit?

A PSG slab means an accurate, ethical grade at the highest level of industry standards, a digital copy of your slab and card details online via the QR code on the label, a tamperproof, ultrasonically sealed premium slab, and a label that looks fantastic alone or as part of a larger collection.

Is PSA grading worth it?

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.

Who started the grading?

William Farish, a tutor at Cambridge University in England in 1792, came up with a method of teaching which would allow him to process more students in a shorter period of time. He invented grades (Hartmann, 2005).

Is PSA grading free?

With PSA, $50 is for grading at the Economy level, which means your card will be returned 45-90 days after being processed. Have time? There is a Value option for $30 with a 90-120-day turnaround time, and a Bulk option for $20 with a 120-day turnaround time.

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 PSA 10 perfect?

PSA 10 is the highest condition grade offered by PSA, and is equivalent to a card that is defined as 'Gem-Mint'. PSA defines a PSA 10 card as virtually perfect, but does allow for some minor centering issues. A PSA 10 card must have perfectly sharp corners and perfect borders, with no staining issues or marks.

What is the rarest PSA?

2005 Umbreon Gold Star Holo

The highest PSA grade one of these has ever received is a 9.5, making it extremely rare to find one in top condition.

What is a PSA 10 grade?

A PSA Gem Mint 10 card is a virtually perfect card. Attributes include four perfectly sharp corners, sharp focus and full original gloss. 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.

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.

How much does 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.

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.

Which PSA is best?

In general, a PSA level that is below 3.0 ng/mL is considered within the normal range. A PSA level that is above 3.0 ng/mL is considered suspicious. However, PSA levels can rise as you get older. For men over age 75, a PSA below 4.0 ng/mL is considered normal.

Who grades better CGC or PSA?

The second factor is that they tend to have a much stricter grading system, and as a result, almost never give out perfect 10s. This makes receiving a CGC 10 grading more valuable than PSA! With over 20 years in the industry, CGC is a solid choice (and my personal favorite) to get your Pokémon cards graded.