How Much Does PSA Grading Cost?

PSA grading costs range anywhere from $22 per card all the way up to $10,000 per card, depending on the value of the card, the age of the card, how many cards you’re submitting at one time, how fast you want the turnaround to be, and other factors.

Below is a complete rundown of the PSA grading cost levels.

(Note: As of June 2021, most of PSA’s services were temporarily suspended as the company worked to chew through a huge backlog of submissions. PSA announced late in 2021, though, that some of their basic services were being reinstated, and they were mostly back to full speed by . Check the PSA site for the current status of their services.)

Basic Options

Bulk

Cost: $22/card

Maximum declared value: $199 per card

Turnaround time: 120 days

(This option available only to PSA Collectors Club members.)

Value

Cost: $20/card for a minimum of 10 cards

Maximum declared value: $499 per card

Turnaround time: 90-120 days

(This option available only to PSA Collectors Club members.)

Economy

Cost: $50/card

Maximum declared value: $499

Turnaround time: 45-90 days

Regular

Cost: $100/card

Maximum declared value: $1499

Turnaround time: 15-30 days

Express

Cost: $150/card

Maximum declared value: $2499

Turnaround time: 14 days

Super Express

Cost: $300/card

Maximum declared value: $4999

Turnaround time: 7 days

Walk-Through

Cost: $600/card

Maximum declared value: $9999

Turnaround time: 3 days

Premium Options

Premium 1

Cost: $1000/card

Maximum declared value: $24,999

Turnaround time: 3 days

Premium 2

Cost: $2000/card

Maximum declared value: $49,999

Turnaround time: 3 days

Premium 3

Cost: $3000/card

Maximum declared value: $99,999

Turnaround time: 3 days

Premium 5

Cost: $5000/card

Maximum declared value: $249,999

Turnaround time: 3 days

Premium 10

Cost: $10,000/card

Minimum declared value: $250,000

Turnaround time: 3 days

(If you want to start learning about how much PSA cards are worth, check out our rundown on how to use the PSA price guide here.)

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Of course, PSA also grades items other than cards, and they also do more than just grading things.

Among their other offerings:

• Card authentication
• Ticket authentication and grading
• Pack authentication and grading
• Card and autograph dual grading (for autographed cards)
• Card reholdering (placing previously PSA-graded cards in new holders)
• Card and autograph dual reholdering
• Ticket reholdering
• Pack reholdering

PSA’s service offering change on occasion, and their pricing changes a bit more often. It’s always a good idea to check out their services page for the most up-to-date information.

PSA also offers a “Collectors Club” that you have to join in order to get the “Value” pricing list above.

Should You Get Your Cards Graded?

So, given the prices above, is it worth it to get your cards graded?

That’s the million-dollar question … or at least the $20 question, depending on the service level you’re looking at.

The answer deserves a full article of its own, but some points to consider can help get you closer to a decision:

• What grade do you *think* your card would receive? Be brutally honest, and then lop off a number or two.
• What would your card sell for if it received that grade? You can always check the “sold” prices on eBay (affiliate link) to get an idea.
• How much more — or less — is the potential selling price than the price you paid for the card PLUS the cost of grading?
• How hard would the card be to sell? How much commission or shipping or other fees would you incur?
• What is your purpose for getting your card graded?

That last question is probably the most important of all.

If you want to get a card graded for aesthetic reasons, or for posterity because you intend to keep it for a long time, then it the rest of the bullet points above probably don’t matter. Grading would enhance your enjoyment of the hobby, and that’s what this whole thing is all about.

If, on the other hand, you want to turn a profit, then you really need to hone in on what a realistic margin might be for you if you do get your card graded.

So …

Should you get your card graded? It’s ultimately up to you, but just make sure you’re making an informed decision. Grading a card is an investment, and, like any investment, it can pay handsome dividends, or it can bite you in the nalga.

If you want more help in deciding whether to get your cards graded or not, check out our eBook, available on Gumroad. You can also get that book for free with a paid subscription to our Baseball Card Market Report newsletter.

(You might also enjoy our articles about BGS grading costs and SGC grading costs.)