What Is the Besy Company to Get Sports Cards Appraised

Grading card companies started in early on 1990s and since and so have become a mainstay in the trading bill of fare industry. Following the unprecedented 2020 year in sports cards, demand for grading in 2021 is extremely high resulting in multi-month delays for nearly card grading services.

There is no guarantee on the grade a carte will receive, but a Precious stone-Mint or Pristine card volition significantly increment the value of a trading card leading to card collectors and investors to submit thousands, if not millions, of cards each yr for grading.

To assistance you lot maximize your returns and acquire well-nigh carte du jour grading options, I evaluated six grading bill of fare companies and will share my top picks with you. Here are the six, listed in alphabetical order, and I have provided my top picks at the end of this article.

Best Card Grading Companies in 2021

• Beckett
• GMA
• HGA
• PSA
• ISA
• SGC

Beckett Grading

• Prices: $20 – $250 / carte, depending on service level (see below)
• Grading Scale: 1-Poor to x-Pristine, including .5 scores (eastward.yard., 8.v)
• Turnaround time: Varies and delayed as of Feb. 2021, run into Beckett Grading
• Services: modern and vintage card grading, hallmark, comic book grading
• Year Founded: 1999

Founded in 1999 and headquartered in Yorba Linda, CA, Beckett Grading Services is among the nigh popular grading services in the trading card industry. Beckett offers "a high-quality sports carte du jour grading service" for both mod (1981 – present) and vintage (1980 and prior) cards.

The Beckett "Blackness Label" commands extremely high prices in the trading card market. For example, this 2003 Topps Chrome LeBron James BGS 10 RC sold for ~$89,000 in December 2020.

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Pros

• BGS-10-Pristine cards capture highest value in market
• Established brand and reputation
• Internal sleeve within plastic case

Cons

• BGS 10-Pristine is extremely rare
• Vintage card catalog non every bit comprehensive as others
• Delayed turnaround times (equally of February 2021)

GMA Grading

• Prices: $half-dozen – $20 / card, depending on service level and order size (see beneath)
• Grading Scale: one-Fair to 10-Gem-Mint, including .5 scores (due east.g., 8.v)
• Turnaround time: Varies and delayed equally of Feb. 2021, meet GMA Grading
• Services: carte du jour grading
• Year Founded: 2000

Founded in 2000 and headquartered in Odessa, FL, GMA Grading Services is an upwardly-and-coming grading service. The GMA value suggestion offered on their website reads "Only $8 Per Card. Why Pay More than? Sports and Non-Sports Cards."

GMA offers lower-priced grading services because they practise not have the aforementioned brand recognition equally PSA and BGS. I have not used GMA, but the visitor provides a Testimonials Folio which features several happy customers.

Pros

• Lowest price among services reviewed
• Turnaround times for basic service faster than well-nigh (equally of February 2021)

Cons

• Brand recognition lower than some competitors
• GMA-10-Gem-Mint cards valued less than PSA, BGS, and SGA

HGA Grading

• Prices: $20 – $55 / card, depending on service level and guild size (run into beneath)
• Grading Calibration: 1 to ten (limited information available thus far)
• Turnaround fourth dimension: Varies (see beneath)
• Services: bill of fare grading
• Year Founded: 2021 (as far equally I can tell)

Founded in 2021 and headquartered in Seymour, TN, Hybrid Grading Approach (HGA) is a brand-new grading service. According to the HGA website, the company states, "HGA is revolutionizing the industry by implementing software that volition allow [them] to scan, analyze, and form cards without subjectivity."

I believe engineering will play a meaning part in card grading in the future, but the concept is new and will take time to adopt. HGA appears to be a pioneer in the space, simply if the technology gains traction, you tin can expect more established players, such as PSA, Beckett, and SGA, to incorporate technology too.

Pros

• Engineering science enabled grading to remove subjectivity and improve consistency
• Pricing based on turnaround time, not card value
• Slab labels color coordinated with team colors

Cons

• New, unproven technology
• Lacks comprehensive card itemize
• HGA 10-Precious stone-Mint value is unknown in market to-date
• Everyman grading cost is higher than competitors (e.grand., $20 instead of $8-10)

PSA Grading

• Prices: $20 – $five,000 / card, depending on service level (come across below)
• Grading Calibration: 1-Poor to x-Gem-Mint, including .5 scores (eastward.g., viii.five) and qualifiers (due east.g., Off Middle, Staining, Impress Defect)
• Turnaround time: Varies and mostly suspended of May 2021, see PSA Grading
• Services: modernistic and vintage carte du jour grading, unopened pack grading, autograph hallmark, original photograph hallmark, ticket grading, sports memorabilia authentication
• Yr Founded: 1991

Founded in 2001 and headquartered in Santa Ana, CA, Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA) is amidst the about well-established and popular brands in card grading. According to the PSA website, "PSA has processed over xxx 1000000 cards and collectibles with cumulative declared value of over a billion dollars."

PSA is well regarded in the card grading manufacture. Collectors and investors regularly pay significant premiums for PSA 10-Gem-Mint cards even compared to Gem-Mint graded cards from other grading companies. As a result, PSA grading is in loftier demand which has impacted turnaround times significantly in 2021.

Pros

• PSA 10-Precious stone-Mint valued in a higher place all other 'Gem-Mint' grades in market
• Established brand and reputation
• Large modern and vintage card itemize

Cons

• Suspended grading (as of May 2021)
• No half-indicate course between 9 and 10 (e.g., nine.5)

ISA Grading

• Prices: $ten – $25 / card, depending on service level and size of guild (see below)
• Grading Scale: i-Poor to 10-Precious stone-Mint, including .5 scores (east.1000., 8.5)
• Turnaround time: ii-x days, unknown if there are delays, see ISA Grading
• Services: card grading
• Year Founded: 2010

Founded in 2010 and headquartered in New Hudson, MI, International Sports Authentication (ISA) is an up-and-coming grading service in the card grading industry. According to the ISA website, the visitor was started to provide carte du jour-collectors with another grading option exterior of the ~3 that existed at the time.

For case, the company states, "Customers are ever pleased when their grading experiences feature quick turnaround, consistent grading, and a quality product—all at a fair price. ISA has built its business on these cornerstones."

Pros

• Low prices compared to competitors
• Turnaround times appear to exist less impacted in 2021

Cons

• Brand recognition lower than some competitors
• ISA 10-Gem-Mint grades likely capture lower values than competitors, simply limited data available for my analysis to confirm

SGC Grading

• Prices: $thirty – $three,750 / card, depending on service level (see below)
• Grading Scale: one-Poor to 10-Pristine, including .5 scores (e.chiliad., 8.5)
• Turnaround time: Varies and delayed every bit of Feb. 2021, run into SGC Grading
• Services: modern and vintage card grading, compatible authentication
• Year Founded: 1998

Founded in 1998 and headquartered in Boca Raton, FL, SGC is a well-established grading company with history. Despite existing since 1998, SGC is less well-known than PSA and Beckett amidst modern carte collectors.

According to the SGC website, SGC has "continuously set up the manufacture standard with consistency, integrity, and quality of [their] services." This claim is supported by a history of card collectors paying premiums for SGC 10-Jewel-Mint cards. For instance, the 1986 Fleer Michael Jordan RC#57 SGC ten sold for ~$150,000 in January 2021.

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Pros

• SGC x-Gem-Mint cards are valued similar to Beckett Jewel-Mint and higher than GMA
• Established brand and reputation
• Large card catalog especially with vintage cards

Cons

• SGC 10-Gem-Mint captures less value than PSA x Gem-Mint

Comparison bill of fare grade market value

Both the company and the grade determine the market value of a carte du jour. For someone who is deciding which card grading company to use, it is critical to understand the market value you can expect based on the visitor and grade of the card.

To understand how much the grading visitor and grade change the market value for a card, I conducted an assay on the 2018 Panini Prizm Luka Doncic Base RC #280. I used the following parameters:

• Auction prices only, based on PWCC Market place Price Inquiry
• Identified a fourth dimension when the Luka Prizm base #280 was transacted past the nigh grade visitor + grade combinations. I used September 2020.
• Included 10 transactions from September 2020 and took the average when sufficient data was available, otherwise I used less than 10 transactions.
• Eliminated Grading Company and / or Grades due to bereft data
• Indexed prices against PSA ten toll to provide like shooting fish in a barrel comparing

Results of carte du jour grade market value analysis

Course	Price	# of Observations	Alphabetize
BGS x	$4,725	2	iii.63
PSA 10	$ane,300	x	1.00
SGC 10	$795	nine	0.61
BGS 9.v	$760	ten	0.58
GMA 10	$630	1	0.48
PSA ix	$425	ten	0.33
BGS 9 Mint	$390	10	0.30
SGC 9	$360	four	0.28
BGS 8.5	$350	3	0.27
GMA 9	$340	1	0.26
SGC 8.5	$235	one	0.18
PSA 8.5	No data bachelor
ISA	No data available
HGA	No information available

Although it is of import to keep in mind this assay is for merely one card, there are several interesting takeaways from this analysis:

• BGS x-Pristine Graded cards are valued at 3-4x PSA x-Gem-Mint cards
• PSA ten-Gem-Mint Graded cards are valued at 1.5-2x Gem-Mint grades from BGS, SGC, and GMA (note: BGS 9.5 = "Gem-Mint")
• GMA graded cards are consistently valued lower than PSA, BGS, and SGC

Items you may need earlier you lot submit cards for grading

Fortunately, there are only a few items you lot may need before yous submit your cards for grading, including:

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• Penny sleeves: these are flimsy, sparse plastic sleeves that serve equally the offset line of defense against scratches, finger prints, and any other source of surface damage. I always buy Ultra Pro and accept been happy with their products thus far. (Shop on Amazon)
• Semi-rigid menu holder: these bill of fare holders provide a second layer of protection for your cards. 2 layers is not overkill, information technology's standard industry exercise for trading cards. Card Saver is likely the near well-known make, and the brand I buy to store and transport my cards. (Store on Amazon)
• Painter's tape: I utilise painter's tape to secure a more than rigid form of protection, such as pieces of cardboard, around the plastic sleeves my cards are in. I similar painter'south tape considering I tin can easily rip into pieces with my easily and remove the tape easily from surfaces. (Shop on Amazon)
• Chimera wrap (or other): Chimera wrap can serve every bit an added layer of protection to wrap your card holders in. I absolutely recommend the added layer of protection, simply chimera wrap is just i approach. I use paper-thin boxes and packing paper, just bubble wrap also works. (Shop on Amazon)

The most important part is ensuring that your cards are protected during shipping. I've sent many cards using a combination of penny sleeves, semi-rigid card holders, painter'south record, cardboard box pieces, and packing paper and accept never had an issue with cards getting damaged.

Top picks for carte grading companies in 2021

My pinnacle picks for card grading companies in 2021 are PSA, BGS, and SGC. These are my preferred choices considering I intendance nigh the market value of my cards and desire to exist able to capture the highest prices from buyers.

Please keep in listen that my top picks are based on my personal preferences. If you want your cards to be put in a slab at the most affordable price, GMA may be the best option for you lot.

Alternatively, if you lot are curious most the latest technology in card grading, you may want to give HGA a attempt. I volition probable send HGA a few of my cards this twelvemonth to acquire more about the new technology.

Regardless of which you cull, all six carte du jour grading companies exist to back up your enjoyment of the card collecting hobby. That is the most important part. Happy collecting!

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Source: https://www.sportscardresearch.com/the-best-grading-card-companies-of-2021/

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