What grading is, how the three big companies — PSA, CGC and BGS — differ, and roughly what each one costs. Once a card is graded, PokéStocks tracks how much that grade is worth over raw on the graded market page.
Grading is having an independent company authenticate a card and lock in an assessment of its condition, then seal it in a tamper-evident case (a “slab”) with a unique certification number. It does two things at once: it proves the card is genuine, and it turns “looks mint to me” into a number a buyer anywhere can trust.
Graders judge a card on four things — centering (how even the borders are), corners, edges, and surface (scratches, print lines, whitening) — and roll those into an overall grade from 1 to 10, where 10 is essentially flawless.
Grading isn't always worth it. The fee, shipping and wait can outweigh the upside on a low-value card, or one that likely won't grade high. It pays off most on valuable cards in excellent condition.
The largest and most recognised grader, and the one most Pokémon collectors target. PSA slabs tend to have the deepest resale market and the strongest premiums, especially for modern cards.
Part of the long-established Certified Collectibles Group (well known in comics and coins). Newer to trading cards but fast-growing with Pokémon collectors, and usually the most affordable of the big three.
A long-standing name, especially respected at the high end. BGS prints four subgrades on every slab, and its black-label 10 is one of the most prestigious grades in the hobby.
Every grader prices the same way: by the card's declared value and by how fast you want it back. A cheap common on the slowest tier costs the least; a five-figure card or a rush job costs the most. Submitting in bulk (many cards at once, often with a paid membership) gets the lowest per-card rate.
The turnaround below is the grader's posted processing time in business days once they've received and logged your cards — add roughly a week each way for shipping to get the real door-to-door time. Faster tiers cost more, and posted times stretch when a grader is backlogged.
| Tier | Approx / card | Turnaround | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Value / Bulk | ~$15–25 | ~45–65 days | cards up to ~$500 · needs membership + a minimum count |
| Regular | ~$75 | ~20 days | up to ~$1,500 |
| Express | ~$150 | ~10 days | up to ~$2,500 |
| Premium (by value) | $300 → $10,000+ | ~2–7 days | high-value cards; the pricier tiers are the fastest |
| Tier | Approx / card | Turnaround | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bulk | ~$12–15 | ~60+ days | lowest per-card rate · minimum count |
| Economy | ~$18–25 | ~30–45 days | cards under ~$200 |
| Standard | ~$40–50 | ~15–20 days | under ~$1,000 |
| Express / higher | $100s+ | ~5–10 days | faster service and higher-value cards |
| Tier | Approx / card | Turnaround | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base / Economy | ~$20–30 | ~45–60+ days | subgrades included · can run months at peak |
| Standard | ~$50–75 | ~15–20 days | a middle tier |
| Express / Premium | $100s+ | ~2–10 days | fast service and high-value cards |
There's no single right answer — it depends on the card and your goal. As a rough guide:
Compare the graded-vs-raw premium for the exact card first — on PokéStocks you can switch the graded market between PSA, BGS and CGC to see how each is valued before you spend a cent on grading.
PokéStocks is not affiliated with PSA, CGC, or Beckett (BGS). Grade names, scales and fees belong to those companies and can change at any time — the fees and turnarounds here are approximate and for orientation only, not a quote. Not investment advice.