You’ve got a card. It looks clean. Maybe it’s worth something. The question haunting every collector: Should I get this graded?

Grading costs money. Time. Stress waiting for it to come back. And there’s always the risk it grades lower than you hoped, killing your ROI. So when is it actually worth it?

This guide will teach you exactly how to make the grading decision using math, not emotions.

The Grading Decision Framework

Before you submit anything, answer these four questions:

  1. What’s the raw value? (Current eBay sold comps for ungraded card)
  2. What’s the graded premium? (PSA 10 sold comps minus raw value)
  3. What’s the total grading cost? (Submission fee + shipping + insurance)
  4. What grade will it realistically get? (Be honest about condition)

If (Graded Premium - Grading Cost) > $50, it’s probably worth grading. If not, you’re gambling.

What Grading Actually Costs in 2025

Here’s the real cost breakdown as of early 2025:

PSA Pricing

  • Value Service — $25/card, 25-day turnaround (max $499 declared value)
  • Regular Service — $40/card, 15-day turnaround (max $1,499 value)
  • Express Service — $125/card, 5-day turnaround (max $2,499 value)

Add-On Costs

  • Shipping to PSA — $15-$30 depending on volume and insurance
  • Return shipping — Included, but add insurance for high-value ($20-$100)
  • Grading failures — If it comes back PSA 7 or lower, you still paid full price

Total Per Card

For a single mid-value card: $25 base + $10 shipping = $35 all-in

For a high-value card needing express: $125 base + $50 insurance shipping = $175+

PSA vs BGS vs SGC: Which Company to Use

PSA (Professional Sports Authenticator)

  • Pros: Highest resale value, most liquid, universally recognized
  • Cons: Longest wait times, strictest grading (especially centering)
  • Best for: Cards you plan to sell, modern rookies, mainstream stars

BGS (Beckett Grading Services)

  • Pros: Subgrades show exactly why the card graded that way, BGS 9.5/10 “Black Label” commands huge premiums
  • Cons: Lower liquidity than PSA, subgrades can hurt if uneven (9.5/9.5/9/9.5 looks worse than straight 9.5)
  • Best for: Modern chrome cards (Prizm, Select), cards you’re keeping long-term

SGC (Sportscard Guaranty Corporation)

  • Pros: Faster turnaround, cheaper pricing, vintage-friendly grading standards
  • Cons: Lower resale premiums vs PSA, less recognizable to casual buyers
  • Best for: Vintage cards (pre-1980), bulk submissions, budget grading

The Verdict: For modern basketball cards (2010+), PSA is almost always the right choice if you plan to sell. BGS if you’re chasing that elusive Black Label. SGC for vintage or budget.

When You SHOULD Grade a Card

✅ High-value modern rookies — Wemby, Luka, Trae, Ja Prizm/Select rookies that are $100+ raw

✅ Near-perfect condition — Sharp corners, perfect centering (50/50 or close), no surface issues

✅ Cards you plan to sell — Grading increases buyer confidence and liquidity

✅ Long-term holds — Even if the spread isn’t huge now, PSA 10 premiums grow over time

✅ Vintage key cards — Anything pre-2000 worth $50+ raw should be graded for protection

✅ Authentication concerns — If there’s any chance it’s fake, grading provides certainty

When You Should NOT Grade a Card

❌ Low-value cards — If it’s worth less than $50 raw, the math rarely works unless you have volume

❌ Obvious condition issues — Corner wear, surface scratches, off-center >60/40 — don’t throw good money after bad

❌ Cards you’re keeping in a PC — If you’ll never sell it, grading is just vanity spending

❌ Speculative unproven rookies — Don’t grade the 15th pick’s Prizm base hoping he becomes a star

❌ Retail parallels with low premiums — A retail Mosaic card that’s $15 raw and $30 graded isn’t worth the hassle

❌ Anything during peak season — PSA wait times balloon during holidays and boom cycles

The Wemby Corner Ding Scenario

Let’s solve the scenario from the title: You have a Victor Wembanyama 2023 Prizm Silver with a tiny corner ding.

Raw comps: $150-$200 PSA 10 comps: $600-$800 PSA 9 comps: $200-$250 PSA 8 comps: $100-$120

Grading cost: $35 all-in

The Math

  • Best case (PSA 10, unlikely with corner ding): $600 - $200 raw - $35 = +$365 profit
  • Realistic case (PSA 9): $225 - $200 raw - $35 = -$10 loss
  • Worst case (PSA 8 or lower): $110 - $200 raw - $35 = -$125 loss

Verdict: Don’t grade it. A corner ding likely prevents PSA 10. If it grades PSA 9, you barely break even. If PSA 8, you’ve destroyed value. Take the $175-$200 raw sale and move on.

How to Self-Evaluate Condition

Before you submit anything, inspect it under bright light with a magnifying glass:

Corners

Look for whitening, soft edges, or creasing. Even tiny imperfections tank centering sub-scores.

Centering

Measure with a ruler or use the “eyeball test.” Anything worse than 55/45 won’t grade PSA 10.

Surface

Check for scratches, print lines, or indentations. Tilt the card under light to see surface defects.

Edges

Run your finger along the edges. They should feel sharp and clean, not rough or damaged.

Pro Tip: Compare your card to PSA 10 examples on eBay. If yours doesn’t look that clean, it won’t grade that high.

The Math: Calculating Your Grading ROI

Here’s the formula:

Grading ROI = (Graded Comp - Raw Comp - Grading Cost) / Grading Cost × 100

Example: Luka Prizm Silver

  • Raw comp: $300
  • PSA 10 comp: $800
  • Grading cost: $40

ROI = ($800 - $300 - $40) / $40 × 100 = 1,150% ROI

That’s a no-brainer. Submit it.

Counter-example: Random bench player Mosaic

  • Raw comp: $5
  • PSA 10 comp: $20
  • Grading cost: $25

ROI = ($20 - $5 - $25) / $25 × 100 = -40% ROI

That’s a hard pass. Sell it raw for $5 and move on.

Final Verdict

Grading is a tool, not a magic button. It adds value to high-quality, high-value cards. But for most cards in most collections, the math doesn’t justify the cost.

Grade when:

  • The card is valuable ($100+ raw)
  • The condition is genuinely excellent (PSA 9+ likely)
  • The graded premium justifies the cost + risk
  • You plan to sell or hold long-term

Don’t grade when:

  • The card is low-value ($50- raw)
  • The condition has obvious flaws
  • You’re grading for sentimental reasons
  • The math doesn’t work

And remember: a raw gem is better than a graded 8. Don’t ruin a good card by forcing it into a slab that highlights its flaws.

Check out our PSA vs BGS vs SGC comparison for a deeper dive into which company to use.