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How much does it cost to get basketball cards graded
How Much Does PSA Grading Cost?
PSA grading costs range anywhere from $22 per card all the way up to $10,000 per card, depending on the value of the card, the age of the card, how many cards you’re submitting at one time, how fast you want the turnaround to be, and other factors.
Below is a complete rundown of the PSA grading cost levels.
(Note: As of June 2021, most of PSA’s services were temporarily suspended as the company worked to chew through a huge backlog of submissions. PSA announced late in 2021, though, that some of their basic services were being reinstated, and they were mostly back to full speed by . Check the PSA site for the current status of their services.)
Basic Options
Bulk
Cost: $22/card
Maximum declared value: $199 per card
Turnaround time: 120 days
(This option available only to PSA Collectors Club members. )
Value
Cost: $20/card for a minimum of 10 cards
Maximum declared value: $499 per card
Turnaround time: 90-120 days
(This option available only to PSA Collectors Club members.)
Economy
Cost: $50/card
Maximum declared value: $499
Turnaround time: 45-90 days
Regular
Cost: $100/card
Maximum declared value: $1499
Turnaround time: 15-30 days
Express
Cost: $150/card
Maximum declared value: $2499
Turnaround time: 14 days
Super Express
Cost: $300/card
Maximum declared value: $4999
Turnaround time: 7 days
Walk-Through
Cost: $600/card
Maximum declared value: $9999
Turnaround time: 3 days
Premium Options
Premium 1
Cost: $1000/card
Maximum declared value: $24,999
Turnaround time: 3 days
Premium 2
Cost: $2000/card
Maximum declared value: $49,999
Turnaround time: 3 days
Premium 3
Cost: $3000/card
Maximum declared value: $99,999
Turnaround time: 3 days
Premium 5
Cost: $5000/card
Maximum declared value: $249,999
Turnaround time: 3 days
Premium 10
Cost: $10,000/card
Minimum declared value: $250,000
Turnaround time: 3 days
(If you want to start learning about how much PSA cards are worth, check out our rundown on how to use the PSA price guide here. )
Of course, PSA also grades items other than cards, and they also do more than just grading things.
Among their other offerings:
Card authentication
Ticket authentication and grading
Pack authentication and grading
Card and autograph dual grading (for autographed cards)
Card reholdering (placing previously PSA-graded cards in new holders)
Card and autograph dual reholdering
Ticket reholdering
Pack reholdering
PSA’s service offering change on occasion, and their pricing changes a bit more often. It’s always a good idea to check out their services page for the most up-to-date information.
PSA also offers a “Collectors Club” that you have to join in order to get the “Value” pricing list above.
Should You Get Your Cards Graded?
So, given the prices above, is it worth it to get your cards graded?
That’s the million-dollar question … or at least the $20 question, depending on the service level you’re looking at.
The answer deserves a full article of its own, but some points to consider can help get you closer to a decision:
What grade do you *think* your card would receive? Be brutally honest, and then lop off a number or two.
What would your card sell for if it received that grade? You can always check the “sold” prices on eBay (affiliate link) to get an idea.
How much more — or less — is the potential selling price than the price you paid for the card PLUS the cost of grading?
How hard would the card be to sell? How much commission or shipping or other fees would you incur?
What is your purpose for getting your card graded?
That last question is probably the most important of all.
If you want to get a card graded for aesthetic reasons, or for posterity because you intend to keep it for a long time, then it the rest of the bullet points above probably don’t matter. Grading would enhance your enjoyment of the hobby, and that’s what this whole thing is all about.
If, on the other hand, you want to turn a profit, then you really need to hone in on what a realistic margin might be for you if you do get your card graded.
So …
Should you get your card graded? It’s ultimately up to you, but just make sure you’re making an informed decision. Grading a card is an investment, and, like any investment, it can pay handsome dividends, or it can bite you in the nalga.
If you want more help in deciding whether to get your cards graded or not, check out our eBook, available on Gumroad. You can also get that book for free with a paid subscription to our Baseball Card Market Report newsletter.
(You might also enjoy our articles about BGS grading costs and SGC grading costs.)
1984 1985 Topps 1987 Donruss Fleer Don Mattingly Lot of 4 All PSA 8 w/ Rookie
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1987 WILL CLARK Fleer #269 Rookie Rc PSA 8
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BARRY LARKIN 1987 ROOKIE RC PSA 9 LOT (4) Fleer Glossy 204 TOPPS 848 DONRUSS 492
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1986 DONRUSS #172 ROGER CLEMENS RED SOX PSA 10 INV 650016
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1981 FLEER #351 RICKEY HENDERSON PSA 8
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1987 Donruss GREG MADDUX #36, ROOKIE PSA 8 with 18 Raw MT & ERROR CARD @@LOOK@@
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PSA 8 Classic Pete Rose Nolan Ryan 1981-1991 Donruss Topps Score Ken Griffey Jr
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How Much Does it Cost to Get a Card Graded?
Affiliate Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links to eBay, Amazon, and other platforms within the content, sidebar ads, and in other areas. As I am part of the eBay Partner Network and other affiliate programs, if you follow these links and make a purchase, I will receive a commission. Likewise, as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Please note: Due to the regularly changing details and price updates from each of the card grading companies, some of the information below may be out of date from time to time. Thus, if you’re considering grading your cards and weighing the costs of each service, please consult each company website directly for the most accurate information. This latest update is as of October 14, 2022.
If you’ve never graded a card before, the process can seem daunting and overwhelming, right? I mean, you’re basically sending off what is presumably a valuable card – either monetarily or in terms of worth to your personal collection, or both – to someone else for handling.
If that wasn’t enough, there are certain “rules” and guidelines to follow when doing so—pack the card this way, put this barcode here, write this on the outside of the box. Declare the value by guessing, oh, and we actually aren’t going to charge you until we send the card back.
And we haven’t even gotten into the wait times and lack of transparency, especially these days.
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All of that said, grading cards can still be an enjoyable experience. Should you get your cards graded? The full answer requires another day and time, but cost is a big piece of that equation, so let’s jump in.
How Much Does it Cost to Get a Card Graded?
The cost of getting a card graded depends on many different variables, making it a difficult question to definitively answer. Above all else, the company with which you’re grading the card will make the biggest determination, as each has it’s own fee schedule and unique selling points.
While this post has a ton of info, and you might just want a few comparison points, the type of card, desired turnaround time, and other factors will all also determine cost. Here is a snapshot of per card costs:
Beckett.com: Economy $35, Standard $50, Express $100, Premium $200. More.
PSA: Special $18, Value $30, Econ $50, Reg $100, Express $150, Super Express $300. More.
SGC: New pricing based on turnaround times and number of cards. More on SGC turnaround times.
And no, as you can see, you can’t get cards graded for free. And if you do in fact want the cheapest card grading service, you really have to think through what that means for the value of your card. If it’s a PC card and you just want something slabbed for the collection, then it really doesn’t matter. But, if your goal is to resell, while you might pay less upfront to have a card graded, you’ll most likely be leaving money on the table when it comes time to sell.
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But again, keep reading to learn more about the different costs and things to look out for.
So, with that said, the best way to figure out how much it will cost to get your card graded is to start with the grading company. Meaning, figure out which company you want grading your card and then dive into how much it might cost to get it done.
Outside of the actual grading cost, some people also “prep” their cards for grading. In full transparency, I’ve sent in a few cards to be graded and I can’t say I’ve ever “prepped” them with additional products, so please do your research here, but here are some items others suggest:
PSA Collector suggests a magnifying lamp to examine. Here is the Brightech Lightview Pro 2
Sports Card Specialist mentions using a microfiber cloth to wipe the surface.
Many mention using a tool to more accurately judge the centering of a card.
This card grading kit seems to have all of the above and then some, like handling gloves and more. It’s currently $35.99:
Now, you might be asking, “Well, won’t cost play a big factor in me deciding which company I ultimately want to grade with?”
In my opinion, the answer is no. There are many reasons to get a card graded, but let’s look at this question under a few different scenarios.
If you’re getting a card graded because you prefer a slab for ultimate safe-keeping in your personal collection, then the actual look and feel of the case might play more importance. Meaning, you might prefer the timple and straightforward look of a PSA slab, or, you might want a slab that has subgrades like that of BGS.
On the other hand, if you’re grading a card knowing that you’re ultimately going to re-sell that card, then you might want to opt for the company that offers the best resale value for that card, and thus, the cost of grading isn’t of utmost importance.
See what I mean? We can go on and on in this fashion. Really, the only time cost might be the biggest determing factor is when you don’t care of what the slab looks like, don’t care which company offers the most value, don’t care which company is the most strict or lenient, etc. And in that case, then I might ask why even get the card graded in the first place!
Anyway, you can go about it whichever way you choose, but answering the question of how much it costs to grade a card is most easily answered by looking at how costs differ within each company’s different grading options.
(Please also note that the listed turnaround times with different companies are probably all greatly impacted at the moment. Nevertheless, you’ll still pay the same price, but just know it might take months beyond the stated times to receive your cards and grades.)
PSA Grading Cost
To grade cards with PSA:
Special: $18/card
Value: $30/card
Economy: $50/card
Regular: $100/card
Express: $200
Super Express: $300/card
Walk-Through: $600/card
Keep in mind there are a number of other PSA services depending on your needs. For instance, to get a card reslabbed or as PSA refers to it a “reholder” (put in a new case), the cost of standard cards and tallboys is $10/card (turnaround times vary).
You can also choose to get a card authenticated and slabbed, but not graded, as you can see from the options below:
BGS Gading Cost
To grade cards with Beckett:
Economy: $35/card, (30-60 business days as of 8/1/22)
Standard: $50/card, (20-30 business days as of 8/1/22)
Express: $100/card, (10-20 business days as of 8/1/22 )
Premium: $200/card, (2-7 business days as of 8/1/22)
Note that prices are less if wanting a grade without subgrades.
You might also see BCCG cards floating around, which is also a Beckett grading operation, but separate from BGS. Learn more about what a BCCG 10 is when compared to PSA, BGS, and others.
SGC Grading Cost
To grade cards with SGC:
5-10 business day turnaround:
$24 for 1-9 cards
$22 for 10-19 cards
$20 for 20-49 cards
$18 for 50+ cards
Check website for more
Read more: What is “A” With SGC Grading?
Quick note—as you can see, it’s not that SGC is the cheapest card grader around, but the combination between affordability and lightning quick turnaround is a big draw for some people.
HGA Grading Cost
To grade cards with HGA:
Best Value: $20/card, 60 business days
Popular: $35/card, 30 business days
Very Fast: $50/card, 10 business days (1-20 cards)
Fastest: $75/card, 2 business days (1 to 20 cards)
ISA Grading Cost
Here is a look at how a company like ISA compares to PSA:
$20/card for 20 business days
$28/card for 5 business days
$45/card for 2 business days
Other Grading Options
All of that said, you might find different pricing if you’re able to submit with groups of others. For instance, if you’re a StarStock member, you can submit your StarStock cards for grading with PSA. It’s Economy 20-Day Service ($499 Maximum Declared Value per card) at $30 per card.
Note: it looks like StarStock has suspended grading submissions.
All in all, there are more grading options than ever, so let your answer to the “why” help guide your decision.
The most expensive basketball cards of November-December - Hobby: Collectible cards - Blogs
Hobby: Collectible cards
Blog
Hello everyone!
After a short break, the top most expensive basketball cards are back. Today we will capture 2 months - November and December.
In order for the cards of different periods to be presented in the top, I divided it into three parts: before the 90s, the 90s and the first half of the 00s and the last 10 years.
Let's go from new cards to old ones (most often this means an increase in cost).
So, the top 4 most expensive new cards.
4) In fourth place is a 1/1 LeBron James card from Flawless 2015-16 with the NBA logo. They paid $10,300 for it.
3) Next is newcomer Steph Curry from Topps Chrome 2009-10. The gold parallel in this collection has a circulation of 50 copies. Added to this is the almost perfect condition of the card, and the total price is $10,600.
2) And the same amount was paid for a Karl-Anthony Towns card with a mourning patch dedicated to Flip Saunders of Flawless 2015-16.
1) And in the first place, 2 league logos and two Golden State stars - the same Steph Curry and Klay Thompson. It's the same Flawless collection from last season. The price of this card is $12,000 without one dollar.
Further older cards. I will say in advance that all 4 are from the second half of the 90s
4-3) And open the top two cards of Michael Jordan with a jersey and an autograph. In the first case, the card in this form was inserted into the blocks of the Upper Deck 19 collection98-99 - a kind of parallel with the autograph with a circulation of 23 copies. $10,999 was paid for the card. And the second card in the collection of the previous season was a regular unnumbered jersey. For a re-release in 2013, an autograph was at stake in the Jordan Collection. The resulting result was estimated at $15,000.
2) Next, another overlay of the top newcomer from Topps Chrome. This time it's Kobe Bryant and the 1995-96 collection. Plus, the card itself is in excellent condition. Price $17500.
1) And in the first place is the red parallel Metall Universe PMG by Michael Jordan with an edition of only 100 copies. In addition, the card number 23/100 is of additional interest. It should also be noted that the card was sent to the PSA for an authenticity check, but not for a condition assessment. The rating would not be high - edge damage (not rare for cards of this sub-series) is visible to the naked eye. As a result, the card was sold for $21453.
Well, the oldest top contains only the classic rookie cards of future NBA legends.
4) And this list opens with Wilt Chamberlain's map from the Fleer collection from 1961. The condition of the card is 9 points out of 10 possible, and the price is $32,211.
3-2) Next, two cards from rookie Michael Jordan. Moreover, for a rarer 9-point card from Star-85, they paid more ($40,207) than for a 10-point card from Fleer-86 ($35,999).
1) Well, absolutely out of competition is the triple card of Larry Bird, Julius Irving and Magic Johnson - the main newcomers of the 1979 season-80 from Topps. Three members of the Hall of Fame + the perfect condition of the card itself gave a total of $96423.
Thank you for your attention!
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Thus, if you’re considering grading your cards and weighing the costs of each service, please consult each company website directly for the most accurate information. This latest update is as of October 14, 2022.
For instance, if you’re a StarStock member, you can submit your StarStock cards for grading with PSA. It’s Economy 20-Day Service ($499 Maximum Declared Value per card) at $30 per card. 
$10,999 was paid for the card. And the second card in the collection of the previous season was a regular unnumbered jersey. For a re-release in 2013, an autograph was at stake in the Jordan Collection. The resulting result was estimated at $15,000. 
Help your dream NBA squad reach the pinnacle of success with your favorite online basketball sports game. Become the King of the Court and compete against millions of basketball players in 5-on-5 basketball games, 3-on-3 basketball practice and 7-game championships. Enjoy new themes, new basketball games and new NBA events in this all-in-one free online sports game. 
3k 
