How Much Does It Cost To Get A Card Graded By PSA, BGS, And SGC

Having A Card Graded By The PSA

The Professional Sports Authenticator, or the PSA, is one of the most well-known card and memorabilia grading companies. Its white and red borders on graded card slabs have become a mark of trust among card-collecting circles. As such, you can expect most collectors to trust a PSA-graded card and be ready to purchase the card based on the grade.

Once the card authentication process has been performed, PSA performs several checks on the condition of each card. The card-grading company uses a 10-point grading scale, with GEM-Mint 10 indicating a perfect mint condition card. 

PSA checks for the following when grading a card:

• Corner sharpness
• Image focus
• Card gloss
• Printing imperfections
• Image alignment
• Stains, if any

Once the card has been graded, it is then encapsulated in a sonically sealed, tamper-protection case. The card is also given a certification number that can be seen on the PSA LightHouse label.

After this, the card is shipped back to the owner, ready to be displayed or put up on sale.

The Cost And The Time Taken

PSA offers several tiers of sports card grading services based on the declared value of the card, the number of sports cards, and more. The declared value of a card is important in particular, as it directly affects both the cost of the service and the turnaround time.

For cards with a declared value of $499 or less and a turnaround time of 65 business days, PSA charges $25 per card. Additionally, if you want the turnaround time to be as low as 20 business days, the company will charge you up to $40 per card. 

These prices are for entry-level services. For premium sports cards, the card’s declared value can be as high as $9,999, and the turnaround time can be as low as three business days. PSA can charge you up to $600 per card for such high-end memorabilia and collectible sports cards.

Additionally, if your card has a declared value that is higher than $10,000, you can opt into the premium PSA grading services. The charges for these services can go as high as $10,000 per card.

As a general rule, expect PSA to take at least three business days to ship your card back to you. But there is a catch to this, as the company can take longer and miss deadlines based on card influx and service queue. 

Having A Card Graded By The BGS

The BGS, also known as Beckett Grading Services, is another industry veteran offering sports card grading services. Along with an overall grade, it awards sports cards with subscores in each of the four grading criteria to give a better overview of its condition.

BGS awards sports cards with a score based on:

• Centering
• Edges
• Corners
• Surface

It uses a 10-point grading scale that indicates how close to pristine condition any given card is. Additionally, the card grading services enclose the graded card in a border that is colored according to its condition. A black label card is in a perfect, near-blemish-free condition that will net its owner the highest possible value.

Once the card is graded, BGS uses a tamper-proof holder as the card capsule, the integrity of which cannot be compromised. It can provide evidence of tampering if someone attempts to damage or open the card case.

The Cost And The Time Taken

Unlike PSA, BGS has a pricing system that is based on turnaround time. The lowest pricing tier, dubbed “Base,” has a turnaround time of 40-60 business days, and BGC charges $22 per card for it.

Next is the Standard tier, which costs $40 per card, with a turnaround time of 10-20 business days. If your card is not exceptionally valuable and you don’t mind waiting a couple of weeks for it, this may be the service level to go for.

The Priority tier has a turnaround time of 2-5 business days, and in turn, the service charges $140 per card to grade it. If you need a card graded a week before an auction, the Priority tier may be suited for you.

For the penultimate tier, BGS has the “Next Day” tier that takes one business day to grade. The charge for this service is similarly high, requiring you to pay $400 per card. This service is best used if your card is highly valuable and you don’t want to send it away for a long time.

Imagine that you need a card graded immediately. Maybe there’s an auction the next day, or that you don’t want any chances of it being damaged.

In such cases, the Immediate tier may be for you. BGS charges $500 per card for this service and gives the card back to you after grading the very same day.

Having A Card Graded By The SGC

And lastly, we have the SGC, yet another industry veteran that is a little friendlier to your wallet. Established in 1998, the sports card grading company has been around for a while and has become well-known in the card collection market.

SGC uses a 10-point grade system, with the best card conditions being indicated by “10 PRI” and “10 GM”. The grading scale saw an overhaul in 2018, switching from a 100-point system to the one we know today. And the new grading scale resembles that of the PSA quite closely, in addition to half-points.

Once graded, the SGC encloses the card in a sturdy slab that resists all forms of damage reasonably well.

The Cost And The Time Taken

SGC charges you different amounts based on the number of sports cards on order and the declared value.

For the lowest tier, the grading company can take 5-10 business days and charge $24 per card if the declared value is below $1,500. If you need the sports cards within two business days, you can pay $125 instead and receive the card quickly.

For cards with less than $1,500 declared value, the tier extends based on the number of cards graded. The highest number of sports cards in this order can be above 50, requiring you to pay $18 per card for the standard 5-10-day turnaround.

As the declared value increases, the turnaround time reduces to 1-2 days, consequently increasing the price. If your card has a declared value of $100,000 or more, you can expect to pay the service $3,750 to have it graded. 

PSA Vs. BGS Vs. SGC: Which Is The Best Sports Card Grading Service?

This can be a little complex to answer simply because of how the grading companies conduct their businesses.

PSA, for instance, is often backlogged and charges a large sum for grading even the most basic cards. It’s best not to have PSA grade your cards if they have a low declared value. Similarly, BGS does not have a more affordable option for lower-tier cards and may end up charging you more than the card is worth.

As for SGC, the grading service is known to be a little stricter about awarding perfect scores to cards, which can affect the card value.

That said, there are plenty of merits associated with each service. PSA is the most well-regarded grading service on the card-collection market, while BGS offers the most thorough grading service. And SGC is the most reliable when discussing turnaround times and is the most affordable of the three.

So, if you’re looking for an affordable service, you can safely go with SGC to get a card graded. But if you want a great card slab and detailed grading service, BGS can be a great pick. And lastly, if you want an expensive card graded, you may choose PSA.

Conclusion

The amount of money charged by PSA, SGC, and BGS is not as different as one might assume. Thus, choosing one over the other two brings with it a fair share of pros and cons.

When having a card graded, there are two things you must watch for: turnaround time and the declared value of your card. Based on these factors, you can choose between the three grading companies safely.

Regardless of your grading service, all three are industry veterans regarded highly on the card collection market. As such, you can’t go wrong with picking any of the three when sending your cards away for grading submission.