Is It Worth It To Grade Trading Cards??

Is It Worth It To Grade Trading Cards??  This is a loaded question.  Professional grading can definitely help your bottom line.  I have seen occasions time and again where slabbing means a world a difference in price.  Trading cards that sold originally for $100 become worth $10,000.  But, when is it worth it to send trading cards for grading?  Also, to which company should I choose to submit to?

Key Factors To Consider

Popularity, demand, and population are the 3 key ingredients to investing successfully.  Trading cards that appeal to all three are definitely good candidates for grading.  However, to dive a little deeper, even if trading cards fall under the latter it’s important to check that the cards are centered, are free of creases, and have razor sharp corners (unless the card was originally printed with rounded corners).  If the condition is considerably off it decreases the likelihood of the card increasing in value.  As grading can improve a cards value it can also decrease it as well.

Which Grader Should I Choose??

Finally, its important to know the best grading card company to send your particular cards to.  For example, collectors honor PSA and Beckett as the top Pokemon and Yu-Gi-Oh! card graders.  On the other hand, SGC is favored for grading high end prewar cards since their standards seam to be a bit more strict.  It is definitely note worthy to do some home work before sending out your cards for grading.  At $20+ a pop it can leave a crater in your wallet.