Why is sports card grading important?

 

May it be basketball card or baseball card grading, professional card grading is important in sports cards pricing because the condition of a sports card affects its value.  A higher grade generally corresponds to a higher market value.

 

A certified graded sports card is usually more expensive than another sports card of the same features but without the grade.  Aside that a grade in a sports card determines its condition and quality, it is also gives an assurance to its authenticity.

 

In addition, a graded sports card grade may also provide an extent of rarity even to cards which are mass produced.  An example to that is the 2001 SP Authentic Tiger Woods rookie card which is graded 10 by Beckett Grading Services (a leader in grading sport cards). 

 

Beckett does not always give a perfect grade to cards.  This makes the Woods rookie card one of the rare sports cards of today.  In 2008, it was sold for more than $16 000.  The same golf card with PSA Mint 9 grade is sold for almost $4000 at eBay.

 

Tools or supplies you need in grading sports cards by your self

The areas to pay close attention when grading sports cards are the corners, edges, surface, centering, and the autograph (should there be any).

 

Here are some sports card grading supplies or tools that you will need in self-grading:

 

o Gloves

 

Gloves should be worn in handling the sports cards for the “pre-grading” to avoid staining the card.  It is very important to remember that you should put the cards only on very clean, flat surface.  Better yet, a card should not be taken out from its pack unless you are ready to grade it.  After grading, immediately put the card in a plastic case called a toploader (a soft plastic sleeve will also do).

 

o Toploader or Top-loader

 

A toploader is a thin, air tight, plastic case useful in maintaining the condition of your card.  This is suitable for the more valuable sports cards.  After self-grading your sports trading card and before sending it for professional sports card grading, place the card inside a top-loader to protect it from air, moisture, and dirt while the card is in transit.

 

Be aware that professional card grading companies may require specific packaging guidelines.  These you should follow in mailing your sports card.
 
o Lighted Magnifier

 

Lighted magnifiers are useful in viewing small details of the sports cards without having to develop eye strain or fatigue.

 

o Jeweler loupe

 

A jeweler loupe is a specialized magnifying glass used for taking a very close look at jewels, gemstones, and coins but is also used in grading sports cards.  A loupe with six times magnifying power is efficient enough in finding card imperfections that are not easily noticeable.  For certified professional sports card graders, they use a loupe with ten times magnifying power.

 

o Black light or UV light

 

The black light or UV light is a tool needed to spot defects like finger prints, oil, and wax stains which may be found on the surface of a sports card but are not visible to the naked eye.  Printing errors and other production flaws may also be more detectable under the black light.

 

o Non-abrasive cloth

 

A non-abrasive cloth (e.g. felt cloth) is useful in wiping off oil stains and finger prints on the sports card. Wiping is done slowly and very carefully to avoid permanent damage on the card.  It should start on the center going to the sides.

 

o Quilting ruler

 

A quilting ruler is a small, thin ruler that is primarily used by a seamstress for measuring purposes.  Because of its size, it is also very fitting to be used in measuring the borders of your sports card to accurately determine the centering of an image on the card.  An off-center photo will correspond to a lower card grade.

 

Sports Card Grading System

It may be hard to quantify something as abstract as the condition of a card.  That is why, a trading card grading scale was established.  The Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA grading services) and most sports card collectors use the 10 to 1 scale:

o GEM-MT 10

 

Gem Mint.  A Gem-Mt 10 graded sports card should be as perfect as possible.  It must be looking new with sharp corners, glossy surface, and centered image.  No signs of deterioration must be found on this sports trading card.

 

o MINT 9

 

Mint. This grade refers to a card with superb condition that contains only one minor flaw.  It could be a slight stain, slightly off white borders, OR a very minor off-centering of the image.

 

o NM-MT 8

 

Near Mint-Mint. A card with an 8 grade appears to be in Mint condition.  A closer look, however, would reveal more imperfections than that of a 9 graded sports card.  There will be minor stain, off white borders, and/or almost unnoticeable fraying on one or two of the card corners.

 

o NM 7

 

Near Mint. An NM 7 card has a sign of wear on the surface but only visible when examined closely.  Slight tear or chipping on the corners may also be found on this card.  There should be no wax stain on the front section of the sport card but the image may be a little more off center than the higher graded sports cards.

 

o EX-MT 6

 

Excellent Mint. More imperfections may be visible like light scratches, loss of original gloss, etc. but it has not lost its overall eye appeal or attractiveness.

 

o EX 5

 

Excellent. A card with a grade of 5 may have more noticeable flaws; for one, some corners become rounded and surface has more obvious scratches and other signs of wear. Edges also show indication of chipping. Still, there is still an extent of appeal on the card.

 

o VG-EX 4

 

Very Good-Excellent. The level of wear on the surface is becoming more apparent but still tolerable and corners are rounded from being originally pointed or sharp.  Card may show light crease or almost unrecognizable fold.

 

o VG 3

 

Very Good. Much of the original gloss of the sports card surface is lost.  There are scratches on the image, rounding or folding by the corners, and chipping in the edges.  There may also be some printing imperfections on the card.

 

o Good 2

 

Good.   A 2 card may have completely lost its original gloss with surfaces that have scratches, stains, lines, scuffing, etc.  It may also show signs of color changes.

 

Poor. A sports card with a PR 1 grade is in its worst condition losing its eye appeal – major creasing, discoloration, wear, and tear.

 

What are the best grading card companies?

 

Here are the major professional sports cards grading service providers where sports card collectors and investors go (in alphabetical order):

 

o Beckett Grading Services (BGS)

 

BGS is an affiliate of the Beckett Magazine which covers almost anything and everything about sports, sports cards, and sports memorabilia.  Beckett card grading has a very high standard when it comes to grading. A BGS 10 sports card is considered a rarity.

 

o Global Authentication Incorporated (GAI)

 

GAI has developed a 10-point trading card grading scale which is set through years of experience in the sports card grading industry.  They promise the most exacting and refined grading techniques when evaluating a sports trading card. They also grade movie or entertainment memorabilia.

 

o Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA)

 

PSA is said to be the top sports card grading service provider assuring that only the best experts in the grading industry are to examine your sport cards. Their grading system is supported by many dealers of sports collectibles.

 

o Sportscard Guaranty Corporation (SGC)

 

SGC uses the 100 point scale in grading sports cards and boasts of their consistent and accurate grading system.  They assure accurate grades correspond to more accurate sports cards prices.  For collectors of vintage sports cards (1940s and earlier), SGC is their choice.

 

What sports cards to send?

 

Not everyone is aware of this, but you are not supposed to just send any sports trading card to Beckett card grading or PSA card grading service (this explains the need for self- or pre-grading).

 

To make the most out of the money you pay for sports card grading certification, only send the cards that you deem having good quality. Other collectors who plan on investing in sports cards (to resell graded sports cards for a markup) only send sports trading cards with a potential Mint 9 or higher grade. 

 

Remember that you may not always be accurate especially if you are a beginner in grading sports card. A Mint 9 for you might be just a Near Mint 7 for the professional card graders.  If you send them an NM 7 card, it might be returned to you with an EX 5 grade.  Then, you might end up paying more for the grading service but earning less when you sell a low-graded sports card.  Make sure it is worth the money and the wait.

 

Having said that, here are other important things to remember:

 

o Study sports card grading seriously

 

Evaluating your sports trading card and determining its condition is a critical process.  The value of your card generally relies to it; that is why before attempting to grade your sports cards, it is a must that you have backed your self up with the right knowledge.

 

Study the grading standards used by the grading company where you are sending your sports cards for authentication and evaluation.  If you are to send your collection to SGC, then you use the SGC grading system (including their terminologies) when you are self-grading your cards.

 

o Practice pre-grading your sports cards a lot

 

Time and a lot of practice are the vital components that will help you become like a certified sports grader.  In practicing card grading, use dummy sports cards or the least valuable cards – so that, in case something goes wrong like improper handling, you would not damage a precious sports card and end up with a broken heart.

 

o Be a perfectionist towards examining your sports cards

 

This should be the number one person that you need to be – a PERFECTIONIST.  You must possess the keenest eye for detail and set the highest standard for quality.  Settling for less is not an option for an expert in sports cards grading.

 

An exception to the rule:

 

It may be a general rule that a perfect card is pricier than other cards.  As mentioned earlier in the article, a BGS 10 Tiger Woods rookie card was more expensive than the same card with a PSA Mint 9 grade. But in 2008, a T206 Honus Wagner baseball card with a grade of BGS 1 (that is the lowest grade in the scale of 1-10; poor condition) was priced at $300 000. Rare and valuable vintage sports cards may still have a very high market value despite being in poor condition.

 

This should remind you that condition is just one factor that influences the value of sports trading cards; others are rarity, popularity or demand, type of sports, and authenticity all of which are considered altogether.

 

Value of football cards – After knowing how to grade sports cards, learn how much could be their value (particularly football cards).  Be familiar with the football card market and find out what are the factors that affect the value of your football trading cards.