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How do i get my basketball cards graded
Should I get my cards PSA graded?
NBA rookie cards (Photo credit should read MARCO BERTORELLO/AFP via Getty Images)
NBA Basketball cards: How to inspect and prepare a card for PSA grading by Josh Wilson
Mock NBA Draft 3.0: Where will LaMelo Ball be selected? by Corey Rausch
Basketball Cards
by Josh Wilson Follow @J_wilsonsports
A full guide on the pros and cons of PSA grading for NBA basketball cards
One of the existential questions for collectors of basketball cards is whether or not to send specific NBA basketball cards in for grading with a service like Beckett or PSA (Pro Sports Authority).
If you’re a long-term basketball card collector, deciding to grade or not grade cards is a decision you’ll have to make on a regular basis as you acquire great cards.
There are a variety of factors and personal motivations to consider when determining whether or not to get a card graded. Let’s dive into as as many of them here as possible!
What is PSA grading for NBA basketball cards?
PSA grading (also can be done through Beckett or some other lesser-known and used grading services) is an industry-standardized card grading service. You send in your sports card and they give it a grade out of 10 points.
The main factors the grading services consider with each card is the centering of the card, any visual printing errors (misaligned foil, for instance), and the edges/corners.
Once a grade is given to each card, it’s placed in a tamper-free plastic casing by PSA or Beckett and an identifying label is placed at the top of the plastic with information about the card, its grade, and the unique number associated with that grade within that specific company’s grading history.
On the back, you get a QR code that you can scan to see information about the population of that card and its grading. It will show you how many of the same card have been graded and how many cards are graded higher. This is useful when trying to trade or sell a card because it further displays the rarity of that card.
What are the advantages in getting an NBA basketball card PSA graded?
There are plenty of advantages in getting a card PSA graded. I’ll start with a simple one — aesthetic appeal and protection. The tamper-free case helps preserve cards to a major degree. They won’t be indestructible by any means, but they’ll be better preserved and protected than they would be in a plastic top-loader or soft plastic sleeve.
They also stack nicely with other graded cards, so if you have a bunch they’re fairly easy to keep together and organize them however you like.
From a selling standpoint, grading a card helps solidify the inherent rarity in your card. If you get a card numbered to 250, you already know it is one of only 250 out there in circulation. If you get it graded, it may be one of 200 graded cards. If it’s graded at a 10, it may be only one of 100 cards graded as a 10.
A raw card numbered to 250 is going to sell for far less than a graded 10 card numbered to 250 for this very reason. Similarly, and this should be made clear, 10 mints are uncommon. That’s not to say your card isn’t a 10, but when you send in a card for grading there is no promise that it will be graded at a 10.
For this reason, the valuation difference between a card graded at a 9 and a card graded at a 10 is stark. In many cases, a graded 10 card can bring in substantially more value than a graded 9 card. I’ve seen it double up the value of PSA-9 in some cases.
What are the risks in getting an NBA basketball card PSA graded?
There are plenty of risks in getting a card PSA graded that collectors should be aware of. As we discussed already, there’s a chance getting a card PSA graded will increase the value of the card, but it could also decrease the value of the card. If you are trying to turn a profit, this is a major pain point of the grading process.
For instance, if you have a raw card that you send in to get graded, it’s probably going to cost anywhere from $20 (if you submit via a group submission) to $50 (solo) to send it in and get it graded. That’s often without any shipping cost or card insurance, and this is the slowest grade speed. If you want your card back ASAP, you’ll be looking at much higher costs.
So, if you paid, let’s say $50 for a card and wanted to send it in to get it graded, you could be looking at a total cost on that card of $100 or more. If you’re unable to sell the card for $100 or more (certainly not a guarantee, depending on the card) you will be losing money on the entire process.
Finally, there are some cases where you might be expecting your card to grade at a 9 or 10 and it comes in at an 8 or lower. 8s do not sell very well, generally speaking (it always depends on the specifics of the card). At that point, you’ve spent a lot of money to potentially bring in less money on the sale or trade. A buyer might have been willing to buy a raw card at a higher price on the assumption that it might grade higher.
Finally, shipping. Even if you prepare your card just right for getting PSA graded, who knows what happens in the shipping process. Your package will go through many hands and facilities before it gets to your grading service. If you prepare your package well this shouldn’t be a major issue, but it is still worth considering.
On top of these risks, there is the legwork and time spent waiting for the card to come back. You could be without your card for several months. If you want to make a quick sale or are impatient for any other reason, grading is often not the move unless you want to pay extra for speed.
How much does it cost to get a card PSA graded?
This is a complicated question that has a variety of answers.
The general baseline is that even if you do a group submission (sending your card in with a group of other people’s cards) it will be at least $20 for the whole thing. PSA lists some approved vendors for group submitters on their site to go through and make sure you’re sending your card to a trusted source.
If you go to PSA directly, it will depend on what sort of card you are sending in, how many cards you are sending at a time and your desired turnaround time. It’s often going to be at least $50, but PSA’s prices may change. Consult their website for specifics.
How do I know if my card will be a PSA 10?
A PSA 10 card has perfect centering and pristine corners as well as no blemishes like smudges, scratches, or printing errors. It’s hard to get a 10. It means not only were there zero errors in the manufacturing process but that the card was probably found in the middle of a pack (more protected) and hardly touched at all once the pack was ripped.
The only way to know for certain if your card is a 10 is to send it in and try, but evaluating your card before you send is important. We have another article detailing that whole process here.
Should I get my basketball card PSA graded?
As we’ve detailed here, there are many factors to consider when deciding whether or not to send your card in to get PSA graded. I would say these are the scenarios in which it’s worth getting a card graded:
Your card is numbered and in very good condition. In this case, this will vastly increase the value of your card, assuming it grades as a 9 or higher. Inspect all elements of the card and prepare it for shipping with care. This YouTube video is a must-watch for anyone looking to send in a card.
Your card is a premium hobby product and in very good condition. Ideally, these should probably mainly be rookie cards. You may want to check secondhand sites like eBay and see what graded versions of the same card have sold for to get a better feel for the market.
This is a card you personally treasure and don’t plan on selling or trading. This won’t be a money play, but maybe there’s a card you love and just want it preserved in a case for display. Nothing wrong with that, that’s the joy of collecting! While it’ll cost some money to get it done and almost certainly won’t increase the cards value, many collectors might go this route for some of their personal favorites. Instead, you might also consider a halfway-permanent case like a magnetic hard plastic. It’s less expensive and preserves the card nearly as well. You can always get it graded later, too!
It is to complete a collection of other graded cards. If you have a ton of a certain rookie and most are graded because they were great cards, but this one is a less rare/base version, maybe you might consider getting it graded to make the set uniform. I wouldn’t, personally, but some might.
If you are lucky enough to pull a 1-of-1 or 1-of-2 there is often little value in getting that sort of card graded. At that point, the card is already so rare that the cost of grading it won’t increase its value at all. A magnetic hard plastic case is better for these situations.
At the end of the day, deciding whether or not to submit your card for grading is up to you!
Trading Card Grading
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Below are the four primary card grading submission types for PSA.
Grading Prices
Cost per card for our most commonly used service levels.
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Estimated Turnaround Time: 90-120 Days
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$50/card
Card must have a declared value of $999 or less
Estimated Turnaround Time: 45-90-Days
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REGULAR
$100/card
Card must have a declared value of $1,499 or less.
Estimated Turnaround Time: 15-30-Days
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Includes a high-resolution SecureScan of the front and back of the graded card
Graded card will be returned inside a fitted sleeve protector
EXPRESS
$150/card
Card must have a declared value of $2,499 or less.
Estimated Turnaround Time: 14-Days
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Includes a high-resolution SecureScan of the front and back of the graded card
Graded card will be returned inside a fitted sleeve protector
SUPER EXPRESS
$300/card
Card must have a declared value of $4,999 or less.
Estimated Turnaround Time: 7-Days
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Includes a high-resolution SecureScan of the front and back of the graded card
Graded card will be returned inside a fitted sleeve protector
Estimated Turnaround Times are estimates only and not guaranteed. A service level’s Turnaround Time is the estimated number of calendar days that an order will be completed and shipped back, once scanned into our facility. These times are based on, and may be impacted by, PSA’s submission volume and capacity and other unforeseen circumstances. Turnaround Times may change rapidly without notice as conditions change.
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The Benefits of PSA Grading
Established Standards
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Trading Card PSA Price Guide
PSA has established a PSA-graded card price guide that has enhanced stability in the marketplace for both collectors and dealers alike.
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PSA encapsulates every trading card in a tamper-evident, sonically sealed case. These attractive, hard plastic cases provide protection from pressure and most damage. Once encased, you can rest assured that your cards will remain secure from further wear.
Set Registry
PSA has a Set Registry for card collectors and the possibilities are virtually endless in terms of creating interesting and fun trading card sets.
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PSA can help you get the most for your cards. Cards authenticated and graded by PSA achieve amazing prices at auction.
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NBA Top Shot - NFT-ARTY
Reading time: 2 minutes
For those who love basketball, the NBA Top Shot is the perfect platform. Here you can buy and sell Game Moments, which are NFTs with officially licensed video clips of your favorite players in action. You can think of these NFTs as traditional basketball cards with a modern digital twist.
There is a range of clips to choose from for each player, from different seasons and versions. Each NFT that comes in multiple copies is marked with a Circulation Count (CC) or Limited Edition (LE) tag. The CC tags mean that the supply of this NFT may increase with a new release. While the LE tags mean that no new copies will be released in the future.
To start your collection, simply create a Dapper account on NBA Top Shot and upload your wallet with some funds. You can top up your wallet balance with a credit card or cryptocurrency. Currently, only five cryptocurrencies are supported - Bitcoin, Ethereum, Bitcoin Cash, Litecoin and USD Coin.
You can purchase NFTs by purchasing and unlocking new packs from NBA Top Shot. Such purchases are known as drops (sales in the primary market). And you won't know what Game Moments you'll get in each package. Mint takes place at a pre-selected time. And you better hurry.
If you miss out on buying on the primary market, you can purchase NFTs from other NBA Top Shot users (sales on the secondary market). Moment prices can range from $4 to $200,000. Depending on the rarity and level of the Moment.
Please note that not all packages are available. Some are specifically provided for collectors and may require a certain Collector rating to be reached before they are available for purchase. Counter scores are calculated based on the rarity and levels of collected Moments.
NBA Top Shot Moments are released as NFTs on the blockchain. This means that after the purchase, you have the right to resell them to another user. You can sort the listings on the market to find the lowest priced NFTs with unique attributes such as serial numbers that match player numbers. Please note that there is a 5% commission on sales made on the NBA Top Shot Market.
For more information on past trades and historical prices, please contact your NFT. Or (if necessary) evaluate the market. Here you can find the biggest drivers for individual Monent as well as the circulating distribution. The value of the collection can be estimated even by the username.
Another interesting aspect of the NBA Top Shot is the availability of challenges. They require collectors to purchase and hold certain NFTs in order to receive exclusive NFTs as a reward. These rewards can only be earned by completing these challenges. And they cannot be obtained as a result of a drop. In order to complete the challenges and receive rewards, users must hold the required NFTs before the expiration date.
NBA Top Shot is not only a collector's platform. But also a community where NBA fans come together to celebrate the best shots and threes by collecting these special NFTs. The NBA's participation in the NFT has enabled it to engage its legion of sports fans in a new, innovative way that is relevant to today's digital world.
To stay up to date with news from the world of NFT, subscribe on social networks in Instagram, Telegram or Zen
The judge told how MMA rounds are evaluated. Asked about Khabib, envelopes and referee from boxing in UFC
Maria Makhmutova has been refereeing MMA tournaments for over 5 years. She has worked at M-1 fights, Fight Nights, ACB and two Russian UFC tournaments. For Match TV, Maria told how you can win a fight if you lose two rounds, what changes in the rules and what is passed to the judges in envelopes.
Maria Makhmutova has been judging MMA tournaments for more than 5 years. She has worked at M-1 fights, Fight Nights, ACB and two Russian UFC tournaments. For Match TV, Maria told how you can win a fight if you lose two rounds, what changes in the rules and what is passed to the judges in envelopes.
If the fight does not end with an early victory, the winner is determined by the decision of three judges.
To win, it is enough that you are recognized as the winner by at least two of the three judges.
Each of the judges determines the winner by summing up the scores given at the end of each round.
The judge evaluates each round separately: both fighters have 10 points before the start of the round. If you lose a round, you get 9 points.
If you lose a round with a clear advantage to your opponent, you get 8 points.
Also, the referee in the octagon can deduct one point for breaking the rules.
The main topic of discussion in controversial judicial decisions most often becomes the question: who is the winner in a particular round.
After the fight, the announcer octagon announces how many points the fighter scored from each of the judges. For a three-round fight, the classic score is 30-27 or 29-28.
A split decision is when one of the judges considers the other fighter the winner.
The story of Maria Makhmutova, who judges fights more courageously than men
- Where can I read how the winner in the round is determined? I called several fighters after controversial decisions - and not everyone read the rules by which the winner is determined.
- If we are talking about the USA - the website of the Association of Athletic Commissions always has rules according to which MMA fights should be served. Moreover, they are adjusted every year, taking into account some amendments that are made based on the results of referee conferences. In the United States, these rules apply throughout the territory, as well as in all UFC and Bellator tournaments. Here they are in English: link. Or here is the link.
— Imagine that I haven't read the rules yet. Explain to me what needs to be done to win the round?
- Everything is more complicated than it might seem. The problem is that we are not talking about team sports, where a goal is a specific action. We are talking about MMA, where there are no identical fights, and in five minutes a large number of situations, situations, episodes can arise.
The text on the website of the Athletic Commission will not even contain rules, but evaluation criteria that a judge should be guided by in order to interpret this or that situation. Based on these instructions, the judge must explain what he saw in each particular round.
- Then on the examples. There is an opinion that in the last two or three years the rules have been slightly changed in favor of the drummers. Passive struggle and control of the opponent at the bottom have become less valued?
- I would rather say that in terms of the quantity and quality of some actions in the octagon, the emphasis is shifting to quality. There is the same control criterion in the stalls, but it is not primary, and the position criterion - who is on top and who is below - is not primary. In Russia, for example, transfers and control from above are often overestimated. In the universal rules, a takedown is an action to move from one position to another. And much more important, what will follow this action, what advantage will it bring.
Another difficulty is that quality is a very subjective parameter. Let's say both athletes do takedowns. We must look in each case at the amplitude, difficulty, damage from the throw and how the episode developed, what position the fighter took.
- In St. Petersburg, in the battle between Roxanne Modafferi and Antonina Shevchenko, as it seemed to many, you unexpectedly gave the victory to Shevchenko. I explained this to myself by the fact that Modafferi transferred to the stalls, but did not create dangerous situations at all, and Shevchenko was more dangerous in a short time in the rack.
- A difficult decision and a very difficult battle. Shevchenko, in my opinion, even being downstairs, caused damage. Yes, Antonina couldn’t get out of her defensive position, but in other episodes she struck. I felt that she dealt more damage and Modafferi had more control. It turns out that we have a dispute about what to rate higher: damage or control.
— And what is more important?
- We are back to the question of quality. Damage is important, but even from the experience of watching battles, we can say that, in principle, the fighters and the face can be damaged in different ways, and they fight in different ways. There is an example of Alexander Shlemenko: he often has a situation that his face turns red, hematomas appear, he misses, and it may seem that he received serious damage. But we know that this is not necessarily the case, and he himself can attack much more dangerously.
At the same time, grappling is much more difficult to perceive for both the audience and the judges. At the seminars, the question has already been repeatedly asked: is it possible to equate a blow that caused serious damage to a good attempt at pain or suffocation. There is a recommendation to evaluate them equally. But it is difficult. Because you need to know the anatomy, physiology and wrestling technique well in order to understand whether there is a danger to the athlete in this case or not.
- For example, when Dustin Poirier makes two attempts at the guillotine in a fight with Khabib, and Khabib then says that only the first one was dangerous.
- In general, in order to understand how good this or that technique is, we must know well how it is performed. Although I don’t train now, I try several times a year to simply refresh my knowledge in grappling and percussion disciplines, because you have to understand what situation represents what danger. And still, for example, the triangle and the guillotine are such tricks where you need to watch how the defending fighter behaves in each specific case. If we see that he does nothing, does not resist, we understand that he is hardly resting. Reception is not effective. When we see active defense, we understand that the situation is dangerous and the reception can pass. Remember the fight between Rashid Magomedov and Tony Martin, when Rashid did incredible things in the octagon to get away from this hold? On the one hand, he left very well, on the other hand, this means that the reception was effective.
- In the UFC, often one of the referees is Tony Wicks, a well-known boxing referee. How savvy can he be in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu?
- I can’t say if he is engaged, I can only say that you need to update your knowledge and attend seminars, and the main nuances of techniques are explained to judges in MMA.
- If you try to simplify: the number of episodes in which the athlete was close to finishing the fight ahead of schedule becomes decisive for the assessment?
- Here we need to focus on the word episode, because it is very important to develop this or that technical action, its continuation. And it is even more difficult if there were no obvious episodes in the round in which you could finish the fight ahead of schedule. Then you need to look at the volume and quantity of effective work.
— Who occupies the center of the octagon and who goes forward is an important factor?
- I would classify it as third-rate: if the fighters were equal in active technical actions, effective grappling or effective striking technique, then we already consider aggressiveness, and if this indicator is identical, then control and work are the first number.
— At the same time, you don’t count the blows during the round and you don’t record the control time in the stalls?
- Rather, there is even a recommendation - not to be distracted by anything during the round. Therefore, during the fight, it is better not to put any marks with the number of strikes or control time in the stalls. At the same time, when you look, you still fix it in your head, and you can write something down in the break between rounds. Since there is a practice in the UFC when, immediately after the end of the tournament, the judges must go to a special room and separately analyze all the controversial episodes and separate decisions. And your notes help you explain your decision about the scores.
— Do you have to give marks immediately after the end of the round?
- In different ways, but, for example, in the UFC and ACA this is a strict requirement, you must mark after each round. But this is not the case in all promotions. And in fact, sometimes when you put down marks after each round, you can also get criticized.
- For example, in a situation where a fighter loses the first round 10-9, in the second, it seems to lose the first 4 minutes, take the ending and take the third round very well...
- And you understand that the picture of the battle can not be fully reflected even by ratings. And if you fill in the scores for the rounds after the fight, you may be tempted to give the second round to another fighter. Such a temptation seems to be wrong, but from the drawing of the fight it may seem that the fighter who officially lost two rounds won. People generally remember what happened at the end more sharply, but according to the rules, all three rounds carry the same value. And if the first fighter took two rounds 10-9, and in the third one he was confidently defeated, but also with a score of 10-9, the first wins anyway.
— Is it possible to be knocked down and win the round?
- In theory, yes. You can also knock down an opponent or, for example, get a knockdown in the first minute, but work very convincingly in the next four minutes, beat, transfer, finish off, go to receptions and take the round 10-9.
— Is it true that now it is recommended to give a score of 10-8 more often?
- I would say a little more often. The criteria for this assessment also change. There is a lot of talk about 10-8 at seminars. There is such a thing as 3D: domination, duration, damage. Domination is dominance, this is the possession of the initiative, when, in fact, with the naked eye you can see who looks better in the round, duration is the duration, that is, when this happens over a significant part of the round. Damage is translated as damage or damage, but more often in the instructions they write impact - impact, that is, something that has a strong impact on the opponent. Now they say that even if these two conditions are met, you can bet 10-8.
- In theory, yes, it is spoken out, but I hardly remember such rounds. In fact, it should be total domination, when we understand that the referee simply did not have time to stop in several episodes or at the end of the round.
- Is it possible that I lose two rounds with a score of 10-9, but take the third round 10-7 and win the fight?
- Yes, but I don't remember any such fight.
- There is also the option that I dominate, getting 10-8, and my opponent breaks the rules in addition, and a point is removed from him.
- Formally - yes. Violation of the rules is a situation in which the referee in the octagon can "influence" the cards of the judges. If the referee gives a yellow card (in Russia) or a point deduction (as they call it in the USA), then we deduct a point in the round. In the rules, forbidden tricks and sanctions for them are indicated in a separate block, and here, probably, the most difficult thing is to determine the damage and how intentional or accidental the forbidden action was. With an intentional action that causes damage, you can immediately give a card and remove a point even without a verbal comment. In case of an unintentional violation, when there is no serious damage, the point is not removed. This is a very serious topic, and John McCarthy (one of the most respected referees in MMA. - "Match TV") has a whole scheme associated with intentional and unintentional illegal holds. But this is rather for the referee, our task here is simply to fix a penalty point for the fighter.
— What I don’t like about MMA in general: the scoring system and the score 10-9, came from boxing, but in boxing there are 12 rounds, in MMA — 3. And in boxing, the set of situations is much smaller.
- My subjective opinion - on the one hand, the grading system is imperfect, on the other hand, sports in general are evolving and changing very quickly. It seems to me that no matter what you come up with, it will be difficult to derive some kind of ideal grading system. And there will always be questions.
- There are more than 35 fighters from Russia in the UFC, will there be more Russian referees?
- In fact, there are not so many tournaments, and there are not so few judges. To work in UFC tournaments and in the USA in general, you need to get a license from the Athletic Commission of the state or any other country where the commission exists. In principle, their requirements are clear: you must know the language, it is desirable to have a work visa, the necessary medical certificates and attend seminars. In the US, in Nevada, it is now important to have a license from IMMAF. To get into tournaments with a license, you have to prove yourself in some way.
- And who pays whom, and how do you know that you referee fights?
- It turns out that the UFC pays referees for their work, and the referee must pay an annual fee to the Athletic Commission for having a license from the commission of one state or another. The UFC, as a rule, announces who will work in a few weeks, maybe even 1-2 months, and then on the day of the tournament there is a refereeing meeting and they give you an envelope - it already indicates which specific fights you serve.
See also:
From "I like McGregor" to "he's like a jealous wife.
This is useful when trying to trade or sell a card because it further displays the rarity of that card.
A buyer might have been willing to buy a raw card at a higher price on the assumption that it might grade higher.
PSA lists some approved vendors for group submitters on their site to go through and make sure you’re sending your card to a trusted source.
This won’t be a money play, but maybe there’s a card you love and just want it preserved in a case for display. Nothing wrong with that, that’s the joy of collecting! While it’ll cost some money to get it done and almost certainly won’t increase the cards value, many collectors might go this route for some of their personal favorites. Instead, you might also consider a halfway-permanent case like a magnetic hard plastic. It’s less expensive and preserves the card nearly as well. You can always get it graded later, too!
A magnetic hard plastic case is better for these situations.
Join Now.
Turnaround Times may change rapidly without notice as conditions change.
Once encased, you can rest assured that your cards will remain secure from further wear.
Moment prices can range from $4 to $200,000. Depending on the rarity and level of the Moment. 
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If you lose a round, you get 9 points. 
Moreover, they are adjusted every year, taking into account some amendments that are made based on the results of referee conferences. In the United States, these rules apply throughout the territory, as well as in all UFC and Bellator tournaments. Here they are in English: link. Or here is the link. 
There is an example of Alexander Shlemenko: he often has a situation that his face turns red, hematomas appear, he misses, and it may seem that he received serious damage. But we know that this is not necessarily the case, and he himself can attack much more dangerously. 
How savvy can he be in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu? 
But this is not the case in all promotions. And in fact, sometimes when you put down marks after each round, you can also get criticized. 
You can also knock down an opponent or, for example, get a knockdown in the first minute, but work very convincingly in the next four minutes, beat, transfer, finish off, go to receptions and take the round 10-9. 
In fact, it should be total domination, when we understand that the referee simply did not have time to stop in several episodes or at the end of the round. 
In case of an unintentional violation, when there is no serious damage, the point is not removed. This is a very serious topic, and John McCarthy (one of the most respected referees in MMA. - "Match TV") has a whole scheme associated with intentional and unintentional illegal holds. But this is rather for the referee, our task here is simply to fix a penalty point for the fighter. 
To work in UFC tournaments and in the USA in general, you need to get a license from the Athletic Commission of the state or any other country where the commission exists. In principle, their requirements are clear: you must know the language, it is desirable to have a work visa, the necessary medical certificates and attend seminars. In the US, in Nevada, it is now important to have a license from IMMAF. To get into tournaments with a license, you have to prove yourself in some way. 
