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Send in your baseball cards to learn how valuable they are
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Do you have a collection of baseball cards you want to sell, but aren’t sure how much they’re worth? Whether you’ve been collecting baseball cards for years or are just getting started, getting your cards graded is the best way to determine their price and quality. While there are many services authenticate cards, we’ll help walk you through the best options and the entire grading process. Keep reading to learn more about what cards to send in, why grading is a good idea, and what other options you have if grading is out of your budget.
Things You Should Know
- Send your baseball cards to a reliable grading service like PSA , Beckett , CSG , or SGC to have them authenticated and graded.
- Card grading costs around $15–25 USD per card for standard services, but it may be more if you have valuable cards or want a faster turnaround time.
- Expect your cards to come back within 2 months after sending them to a grading service.
Steps
Section 2 of 5:
How does baseball card grading work?
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You choose valuable, undamaged baseball cards to get graded. Start by organizing your cards by sets or age to see what you have in your collection. As you’re looking through your baseball cards, choose ones that have straight edges, unbent corners, and unscratched images to get graded since they’ll be the most valuable. Look up each card on a site like eBay to check what they’re currently selling for. If they’re selling for more than the cost of a grading service, then they’re the perfect candidates for sending in. [5] X Research source
- Cards for popular baseball players or players who have good records are also valuable and worth getting professionally graded.
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You choose a grading service and fill out a submission form. Pick one of the grading services, and fill out an online form listing all of the cards that you’re sending in. Write down the brand, player name, year, card number, and the estimated value of each card so the service has a detailed log of the cards you’re getting graded. [6] X Research source
- Grading services have different price levels that affect the turnaround time. If you want to receive your cards faster, opt for a higher price level.
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You pack and ship your cards to the grading service. Put all of the cards you’re sending in into card sleeves , and then sandwich them between 2 pieces of cardboard for an extra layer of protection. Wrap the packaged cards in bubble wrap and seal them in a box for shipping. Include a copy of your order confirmation in the box. Address the package to the grading service you’re using and send it through any shipping provider, like the USPS, FedEx, or UPS. [7] X Research source
- Each grading service may have slightly different packing instructions, so be sure to follow the directions you’re given when you submit your form.
- Get shipping insurance on your baseball cards. That way, you’ll get reimbursed for the value of your cards if the package gets lost or damaged.
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The grading service inspects your cards and assigns grades. When the grading service receives your cards, they’ll first check to make sure that your cards are authentic and haven’t been altered in any way. Then, they’ll carefully look over your card to check the corners, edges, centering on the printing, and surface damage. Once they determine the quality of your card, they’ll give it a grade on a scale of 1–10, where 10 is pristine mint condition. [8] X Research source
- Some grading services offer half-grades or subgrades for corners and edges for an extra fee.
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The grading service encapsulates your cards in plastic holders. After assigning a grade, the service seals your card in a tamper-proof hard case. They’ll attach a label with your card’s information and grade at the top of the case so it’s easy to see at a glance. [9] X Research source
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The grading service mails the cards back to you. Once your card has been graded and sealed, they’ll carefully pack the cards up and mail them back to you within the turnaround time. Depending on which grading service you chose, you may get your cards back within a few weeks, but it may take up to 2 months. [10] X Research source
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Tips
- Check with local trading card shops since they may have partnerships with grading services and can send your collection in for you.Thanks
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References
- ↑ https://youtu.be/A7hj977a2b0?t=943
- ↑ https://www.beckett.com/grading
- ↑ https://www.beckett.com/grading/faq
- ↑ https://www.gosgc.com/card-grading/scale
- ↑ https://cardreviewclub.com/get-a-sports-card-graded/
- ↑ https://youtu.be/79i5N_tJ1r8?t=1252
- ↑ https://www.beckett-authentication.com/assets/images/BAS-submission-for-guide.pdf
- ↑ https://youtu.be/_WSDM6vxwNY?t=215
- ↑ https://www.psacard.com/services/tradingcardgrading/grading
- ↑ https://www.csgcards.com/card-grading/grading-process/
- ↑ https://youtu.be/eUHRI7E7GxM?t=116
- ↑ https://youtu.be/WLLA1NN2svc?t=535
- ↑ https://cardreviewclub.com/get-a-sports-card-graded/
- ↑ https://cardreviewclub.com/get-a-sports-card-graded/
- ↑ https://www.truegrd.com/
- ↑ https://www.psacard.com/articles/articleview/6096/psa-photograde-online-free-service-lets-easily-compare-cards-grades
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