What Is Card Grading? A Beginner's Guide

Card grading is the evaluation of a card's condition by an independent company. An expert examines the card, checks that it is genuine, then gives it a grade based on its condition.

The card is then sealed in a rigid, clear slab with a label showing its name, its grade and a unique certificate number. Anyone can use that number to verify the card online.

• Protection: sealed in a slab, the card is safe from handling, dust and knocks.
• Proof of condition: the grade comes from a third party, not the seller, so buyers know exactly what they are getting.
• Authentication: counterfeits are common. A graded card has been checked before being graded.
• Easier resale: in the collector market, graded cards in good condition generally sell more easily and for better prices than raw cards. Nothing is guaranteed, though: it depends on the card and on demand.
• Display: a slabbed card looks great and is easy to store.

Four criteria are examined one by one:

• Centering: how evenly the borders frame the artwork, front and back.
• Corners: they should be sharp, not rounded or whitened.
• Edges: free of chips and wear.
• Surface: free of scratches, print lines, dents and fingerprints.

Each criterion gets a subgrade, then the card receives a final grade from 1 to 10. At TGP, grades go in half-point steps: 10 is Gem Mint (perfect condition), 9.5 is Mint+, 9 is Mint, and so on down to 1.

• You choose your cards and order online.
• You protect each card (sleeve + top loader) and ship the parcel with tracking.
• The cards are authenticated, examined and graded.
• They are sealed in their slab with their label.
• You receive them at home, with an online certificate and a stamped paper certificate.

At TGP, allow 8–12 business days with Standard and 24–48 business hours with VIP, plus return shipping.

Not every card is worth grading. People usually grade:

• rare or sought-after cards (illustration rares, vintage cards, limited editions);
• cards in excellent condition that can earn a high grade;
• cards they want to sell, to reassure the buyer;
• cards they care about, to protect them for the long term.

On the other hand, a common or already damaged card often costs more to grade than it is worth. We will cover this in a dedicated guide.

The big international companies are well known, but you have to ship your cards far away, which adds costs, transit risks and often several months of waiting.

A nearby service lets you send your cards faster and get them back sooner. That is why we created TGP in Bangkok: a grading service close to Southeast Asian collectors, from ฿270 per card.