This is a growing collection of answers to the most asked questions we get. If you miss a topic feel free to contact us and we will add it this this section, if applicable.
Packing your order
Insert your cards in penny sleeves or tabbed sleeves. Make sure the order is in sequence top to bottom as it is on the submitted card order.
We highly recommend adding sticky note tab to penny sleeves to make easy removal from toploaders or semi-rigid card savers.
Insert the sleeved cards into
- top loaders (left). Use these for trading card games such as Pokémon, Flesh and Blood, etc.
- or semi-rigid card savers (right). Use these only for sports cards.
Cut 5mm thick cardboard to the shape of your card holders. Secure the cut outs to the front and back of each card using tape/rubber bands.
For multiple cards, layer cardboard in-between each card saver and secure them.
Recommendation - Bubble Wrap
To further reduce the risk of damage, use some bubble wrap and tape to seal the order or fill the empty space within a box to cushion movement.
Shipping your order
Print out the confirmation email
You will need to send this to us with your cards. So keep this handy.
Prepare shipping label
Engaging with your local shipping provider about sending a package. We recommend shipping the order tracked at minimum.
You are ready to post! Doublecheck...
- That you used the correct office shipping address & your return address is correct.
- The parcel contains the secured cards.
- The parce contains the email confirmation print out
- You have saved/archived the shipping details on your end
Once you have shipped the parcel all you have to do is wait until you receive an email from us once we start processing your order.
We have recently updated the Grading Scale, adjusting some of the Overall Grade names to match the condition of the card. The new PCG Grading Scale reads as follow:
- Flawless 10 (Quad 10 Label)
- Pristine 10 (Triple 10, Single 9.5 Label)
- Gem Mint 10 (Double 10, Double 9.5 Label)
- Gem Mint 9.5
- Mint 9
- NM-Mint + 8.5
- NM-Mint 8
- Near Mint + 7.5
- Near Mint 7
- Excellent 6
- Good 5
- Fair 4
- Worn 3
- Poor 2
- Damaged 1
- Authentication
You can find detailed information here: PCG Grading Process and Grading Scale explained
Subgrades are specific individual assessments of a card's quality based on different categories or attributes. These subgrades break down the overall grade of the card and give a more detailed, transparent view of its condition, helping buyers and collectors understand where a card may have imperfections.
The four subgrades are as follows:
Centering
- This subgrade evaluates how well-centered the image or design is on the card, which is crucial because cards that are off-center can be less desirable.
- Example: A perfectly centered card will score a high subgrade, while a card with noticeable off-centering may have a lower score.
Corners
- This subgrade looks at the condition of the corners of the card. Cards with sharp, clean corners get high scores, while cards with dinged, bent, or damaged corners get lower scores.
- Example: A card with slightly dinged corners would receive a lower subgrade than one with sharp, untouched corners.
Edges
- This assesses the condition of the edges of the card. Any whitening, fraying, chipping, or wear on the edges will result in a lower subgrade.
- Example: A card with clean, smooth edges gets a high score, while one with visible wear or damage will receive a lower score.
Surface
- The surface subgrade refers to the condition of the card’s face, checking for scratches, creases, dents, discoloration, or other imperfections that could affect its overall look.
- Example: A flawless surface with no visible marks or damage will score highly, while a card with surface scratches or print defects will have a lower score.
At PCG subgrades are used for all services except Authentication and otherwise explicitely noted.
PCG has a special formula for considering the different complex combinations of subgrades. This formula has been refined and tested to ensure that a high standard is preserved across all different grade levels.
PCG does not take the average of all 4 subgrades, due to some subgrades being weaker in eye appeal than others. The Overall Grade is instead calculated using a weighted criterion function.
Criterion Example: The Overall Grade is limited to one grade level above the lowest subgrade. A card with the subgrades centering/corners/edges/surface = 9.5/9.5/9.5/6 will get an overall grade of 7.
We are currently in the process of building and designing a digital Grading Report function, in which you will be able to access all your cards details through the grading process.
It is yet to be determined how it will be implemented into the PCG service or what the final product would look like.
Once we have received your card(s) in our office we will send out status updates per email.
We will be using the email address used for placing the submission.
Please check our email account, inbox as well as spam folder, for these status updates.
All cards we process must be originals. This means that they must be produced and published by the rights holders of the respective games.
When sending in their card for grading the customer indicates that the card is an original. If the card is modified, for example by a signature, the customer must clearly note this in the order.
If we cannot identify a card as an original, we will stop processing this card without refunding the processing fee. In addition, we reserve the right to file a complaint for fraud or fraudulent deception.
The opening of the shipment and the authenticity check are documented on video in a legally compliant manner.
Each shipment is opened upon receipt and its contents are checked for completeness. The opening of the shipments and the completeness check are documented on video in a legally compliant manner.
If the cards in the box differ from the content of the online submission, the grading process is stopped until the matter is clarified.
A prerequisite to grade a signed card with us is that we must be able to authenticate the signature. A comprehensive list of currently in our database and therefore eligible for grading is available here.
This list is grown based on our customer requests. If you would like to have a card of yours graded with a signature of a person not listed here please contact us before entering your submission to discuss how to proceed best.
A card with a signature we can not authenticate is returned to the customer unprocessed.