Source : SGC

One of the scariest things for a new collector (or a renewed collector) to do is to send their favorite cards in to get graded. But sending a card in for grading doesn’t have to be scary, and in this piece, we’ve laid out the steps to help you navigate the process.

9 Steps To Get a Card Graded

Whether you are sending cards to PSA, SGC, CGC, Beckett, or any of the other card grading services, they all generally work the same, but we’ve also linked to their own specific instructions.

1. Create an Account

You’ll need to sign up with the company first. In some cases, like PSA, you can join the Collectors Club (for an annual fee) to get discounts or expedite the process.

2. Choose Your Cards

Figure out which cards you want to send in for grading. Be selective, though, since you want the best value for your card collection. Sending in common cards or greatly damaged cards might not be cost-effective, but it could still be worthwhile if you want to protect the card with a slab.

3. Prepare Your Cards

Card grading services want you to send cards protected in penny sleeves and Card Savers, not top loaders, so you’ll need to put them into Card Savers. If you have chromium cards (Topps Chrome, Panini Prizm, etc.), you’ll want to carefully wipe your card fronts with a microfiber cloth to remove any fingerprints.

Pro Tip: When cleaning your card, start from the center of the card and wipe outward, so you don’t catch any corners accidentally.

4. Determine What Grades You Expect

Make note of what grades you expect to get from each card, and once you get your submission back, you can see how close you were. This will help you in assessing which cards you should grade going forward. (To learn more about what card grades mean, check out our piece here: What do card grades mean?)

Card grading is based on four criteria Centering: centering corners, edges, and surface, so check your cards accordingly.

5. Sort Your Cards By Sport, Year and Set

This is just to help you with organization, so it’s easier to fill out the submission forms.

6. Fill Out the Online Submission Form

Each grading service is a little different, but for the most part, you should be able to start with the year, set, player and card number, and it will auto-fill the rest. You’ll also need to consider what the insurance on this card would be, in case it gets lost in the shipment back to you. (The grading company will take responsibility for the card once it’s checked in, and if it’s damaged or lost, they’ll pay you accordingly.)

7. Print Out Submission Forms

Once you have entered all the cards you want graded, you’ll enter your shipment information and billing info, and you’ll have to print out the submission form. Print two copies – one for your records, and one to put in the box with your cards.

Pro Tip: Some collectors take a video of boxing up their cards, in their Card Savers, so there’s a record of the condition in which they were sent. We don’t often hear of collectors needing to use these videos in a dispute, but they can be helpful to have just in case.

8. Bind the Cards Together and Pack Them in a Box

Sandwich the cards between two pieces of cardboard, and wrap them with two barely fitting rubber bands – one going from top to bottom and one going around the sides. Before you seal the box, make sure to include one copy of the submission form.

9. Ship Cards To the Grading Company

Once everything is boxed, write the submission number on the outside of the box, which will help the company connect your box with your account/submission. Then ship the cards off and make note of the tracking number. In a few days, you’ll hear from the grading company that they received your cards, and that the grading process is underway. (There are several stages, and many companies will alert you when it goes from one stage to the next via email.)

Now all you have to do is wait – and dream of 10s!