A graded card has been sent to a third-party company, checked for authenticity, judged on condition, and sealed in a tamper-proof holder (a "slab") with a number on it. That number — usually 1 to 10 — is the hobby's shared language for condition. Higher grade, higher confidence, usually higher value. Here's how the big names stack up.
PSA — the market standard
PSA (Professional Sports Authenticator) is the most recognized grader in the hobby and the one most buyers trust by default. Cards are graded 1 to 10, with a 10 being Gem Mint. PSA gives one clean overall grade, and because it's the volume leader, a PSA grade tends to carry the strongest, most liquid resale value — especially on modern cards.
Best for: most modern cards and anything you'll resell to the widest audience.
BGS / Beckett — the subgrade specialist
Beckett also grades 1 to 10, but shows its work: each card gets four subgrades — centering, corners, edges, surface — printed on the label alongside the overall grade. Hit all four 10s and you earn the coveted Black Label, the toughest high grade in the hobby. BGS slabs are thick and protective.
Best for: high-end modern cards where you want the full breakdown.
SGC — the vintage favorite
SGC grades 1 to 10 and has become the go-to for vintage. Its distinctive black "tuxedo" insert makes old cardboard pop, and collectors trust it for accurate, consistent grading on pre-1980 material.
Best for: vintage and pre-1980 cards.
A quick word on CGC
CGC Cards, from the long-running comic-grading company, is a newer entrant worth knowing — growing fast, though PSA, BGS, and SGC remain the names most sports collectors reach for first.
So which should you choose?
Reselling modern to the broadest market? PSA. Want the full condition breakdown on a premium card? BGS. Grading vintage? SGC. Grade the cards worth more slabbed than raw — condition-sensitive rookies, low-population cards, and anything you'll hold long-term.
Every graded card we sell is exactly as labeled — verified before it's listed.