PSA has officially announced that it has resumed grading certain cards lacking rarity symbols from the 1996 Japanese Pokémon Basic Set. Throughout the course of the series, most Pokémon cards include special symbols on the lower corners of each card…
Grading
Not All Fresh Pulls Grade PSA Gem Mint 10
“But this card was pulled out of a pack and sent directly to PSA!” As a customer service representative for PSA, it’s a statement I hear from collectors all too often. Their disbelief comes across loud and clear when a…
Understanding PSA’s ‘Minimum Grade’
When trading cards are submitted for grading to PSA, the best results are typically found in well-planned submissions. Pre-screening your own cards and understanding the different grading options can be very helpful. Along the way a handful of decisions…
Should I Get My Trading Cards Graded?
Should I get my cards graded by an independent third-party grader? And if so, which ones? You may have asked yourself these questions or heard your collector friends pose the same questions. Of course, the answer is entirely dependent…
The Challenges of Grading Ultra-Modern Trading Cards
There are a lot of things that go into the proper management of a third-party authentication and grading company that collectors might not immediately consider. Of course, qualified graders are necessary and reliable people are required to receive submissions…
Learning the PSA Grading Scale
Say you wake up one day and discover that your great grandfather left you a footlocker full of T206 cards. Or your late father willed you his entire 1952 Topps Baseball card collection once you secured your bachelor’s degree….
Beginner’s Guide to Trading Card Grading
You’ve been out of the card collecting loop for a while, but you’ve heard over and over from your collector friends that trading card value is making headlines. Curious to see what all the hubbub is about, you did what anyone would do…
The Importance Behind Third-Party Authentication and Grading
One of the toughest decisions any collector faces is when to part ways with all or some of his collection. It’s often based on finances – or lack thereof – and brings with it an emotional toll. It could…
Making the (PSA) Grade – Part 2
Defining PSA card grading differences between VG-EX 4 to PR 1 Last month, we defined PSA card grading from EX 5 (Excellent) all the way up to GEM-MT 10 (Gem Mint). The higher the grade, the better condition the card,…
Making the (PSA) Grade – Part 1
How do you tell the difference between Gem Mint, Near Mint-Mint and Excellent-Mint? When it comes to defining the do’s and don’ts of managing your collection, one of the first rules of thumb is to preserve your cards. Because if…