Every hobby– including stamp, coin, comic, and record collecting– has its own grading system and terms. Sports card collecting is no exception. The only invariable criterion for determining the value of a card is its condition.
So, if you want to know more about grading your sports cards but don’t know where to start, read on. You’ve landed on the right page.
What’s Card Grading?
During card grading, your sports card is sent to a third-party service provider that verifies the quality of your card. It is like a jeweler checking the value of an old watch or piece of jewelry.
The third-party card grading services encapsulate your card in a case or what is called a “slab.” This protects the card from dirt, dust, and other wear and tear, so the quality of your card remains unchanged after grading. When graded, your card will be given a score on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the best grade a card can receive.
How Can I Personally Evaluate My Cards?
There are some things that professional graders check on both the front and back of sports cards:
Corners
Card corners are probably the most critical and studied feature in grading. A good card has four sharp corners. Examine all four corners carefully, first the front of the card, then the back. If you find defects on the corners on both sides, it is not your eyes deceiving you.
Edges
When examining a sports card, the four edges are equally important. Some brands have been notoriously awful with edges, especially cards with black or dark borders. And keep in mind that you should expect less from such brands, so lower your expectations.
Surface
Here we refer to the condition of the cardboard as a whole. For glossy cards like Bowman Chrome, scratches on the surface can affect the value of your card. Also, with cards made of foil material, it is possible for tiny pieces of the foil to peel off and leave white marks on the card. A crease is often not visible at first glance, as the card’s image often covers it completely.
Centering
Centering is the width of the border. Ideally, the border size should be the same on the left, right, top, and bottom. However, sometimes it’s not so easy to judge centering by looking for borders of equal width. If a card appears crooked, the centering isn’t correct.
Bottom Line
Although the grading process is thorough and requires technical knowledge, learning to look at a card is instantaneous and has more to do with your gut feeling. If a card looks good, it looks good. With various apps, you can scan any trading card, identify it instantly, and determine its average market value.
Once you’ve determined the value of your card and want to sell it at the highest price possible, contact us. American Legends is an Upper Deck Certified Diamond Dealer with an extensive inventory of unique sports cards and is always looking to buy valuable cards.
