Pokémon card grading in the UK: a beginner's guide

Short answer: a grading company inspects your card, gives it a score (usually out of 10) and seals it in a tamper-evident case. It only makes sense for cards in excellent condition that are worth noticeably more graded than raw.

What graders look at

• Centring
• Corners
• Edges
• Surface (scratches, print lines, dents)

The main companies

PSA, CGC and Beckett are the big international names, and there are UK-based graders too, such as ACE. Each has different prices, turnaround times and slab designs, and these change often — check each company's current service levels before you submit.

When is it worth it?

Compare recent sold prices for raw and graded copies of the same card. If the difference is smaller than the grading fee plus postage and insurance, keep it raw.

How to submit from the UK

Submit directly where the company accepts UK orders, or through a UK submission service that batches cards. Use tracked, insured postage both ways.