The cost to grade a Pokémon card varies depending on the grading company, the service level, and the card's declared value. Here are the main details:
PSA Grading Costs
- Basic PSA grading starts at around $25 per card for cards valued under $499.
- Return shipping adds about $20 for 1-4 cards, plus you pay shipping to send the card to PSA (around $8-14).
- Bulk submissions reduce the per-card cost to as low as $15 if you submit 20 or more cards.
- Higher-value cards or faster turnaround services cost more, ranging from $40 up to several hundred dollars per card depending on declared value and speed (up to $10,000 for premium services on very high-value cards).
- Total cost for grading a single card generally runs around $50 including shipping for lower-value cards
Other Grading Companies
- Beckett grading costs range from about $16 to $500 per card depending on service speed and extras like subgrades.
- CGC offers grading starting at $15 per card with bulk discounts for 25+ cards
Summary Table for PSA Pricing (approximate)
Service Level| Max Declared Value| Cost per Card
---|---|---
Value (basic)| $499| $25
Value Plus| $499| $40
Regular| $1,499| $75
Express| $2,499| $150
Super Express| $4,999| $300
Walk-Through| $9,999| $600
Premium (various)| $25,000+| $1,000+ up to $10,000
Additional shipping and insurance fees apply
Practical Tips
- Using local card shops or middlemen can reduce costs slightly.
- Joining PSA's collector club ($149/year) lowers per-card fees but requires minimum submissions.
- Only grade cards you believe can get high grades (9 or 10) to justify the cost
In conclusion, grading a Pokémon card typically costs around $50 for a single low-value card through PSA, with prices decreasing per card for bulk submissions or increasing significantly for higher-value cards or expedited services. Other companies like Beckett and CGC offer competitive pricing starting as low as $15 per card.
