Getting trading cards graded offers several benefits to collectors and investors. Here are some reasons why people choose to get their trading cards graded:
- Authenticity Verification: Grading companies authenticate the cards, confirming their legitimacy and protecting collectors from counterfeit or altered cards.
- Preservation: Grading involves encapsulating the card in a sealed case, protecting it from physical damage, wear, and environmental factors that could degrade its condition over time.
- Condition Assessment: Grading assigns a numerical grade (e.g., PSA 9, BGS 8.5) to the card’s condition, indicating its overall quality. This standardized grading helps buyers and sellers understand the card’s worth and condition at a glance.
- Value Determination: Graded cards are generally more attractive to buyers and investors, as the standardized condition grades provide a clear basis for pricing negotiations.
- Marketability: Graded cards are often more desirable to collectors and investors because they come with a recognized and respected assessment of their quality. This can lead to easier sales and potentially higher prices.
- Long-Term Investment: For those looking at cards as an investment, graded cards with high grades (like GEM-MT 10 or MINT 9) can appreciate significantly in value over time, especially for iconic and rare cards.
- Third-Party Opinion: Grading companies provide an unbiased third-party assessment of the card’s condition, helping to settle disputes and disagreements about a card’s quality.
- Categorization: Graded cards are sorted into uniform categories based on their condition, making it easier for collectors to find specific cards and complete sets.
- Display: The sealed case allows collectors to display their cards without worrying about handling damage, fingerprints, or other potential hazards.
- Hobby Standard: Grading has become a standard practice in the trading card collecting hobby, and many collectors prefer to own graded cards due to their increased value, protection, and marketability.
It’s important to note that while grading can provide these benefits, it comes with costs, and not all cards are worth grading. Highly valuable and rare cards, particularly from popular and established trading card sets, tend to benefit the most from grading. For more common or low-value cards, the cost of grading might outweigh the potential benefits.
Ultimately, the decision to get trading cards graded depends on the collector’s goals, the card’s value, and the collector’s willingness to invest in grading fees. Contact Us now to get started!
