Sooner or later, every collector pulls a card that makes their heart skip — and the first question that follows is usually: should I get this graded? Grading gets talked about constantly in the hobby, but if you're newer to collecting, the whole thing can feel like a members-only club with its own language. Let's fix that.
What grading actually is
Grading is simple at its core: you send your card to an independent company, their experts examine it, assign it a numerical grade for condition (typically on a scale up to 10), and seal it in a tamper-evident plastic case — the famous "slab" — with a label showing the grade.
The big names you'll hear are PSA, Beckett (BGS) and CGC, each with their own reputation, style of label and grading quirks. There's no single "best" grader — collectors argue about this endlessly, and honestly, it often comes down to which slabs you like the look of and what the market you're selling into prefers.
What the graders are looking at
Condition sounds like one thing, but graders break it into several:
- Centering — is the artwork evenly framed by the borders, front and back?
- Corners — sharp and clean, or softened by handling?
- Edges — any whitening, chipping or roughness?
- Surface — scratches, print lines, indentations, or that dreaded holo scuffing.
Here's the part that surprises people: most "pack fresh" cards are not gem-mint. Cards can leave the factory with centering issues or print lines already on them. Pulling a card straight from a booster and sleeving it immediately gives you the best possible shot, but it's never a guarantee of a perfect grade.
Why collectors grade cards
A few honest reasons:
- Protection — a slab is about the safest long-term home a card can have.
- Authentication — graders verify the card is genuine, which matters more every year as fakes improve.
- Value — a high grade can meaningfully increase what a card sells for, because the buyer no longer has to take your word on condition.
- Display — let's be real, slabs look fantastic on a shelf.
When grading is worth it — and when it isn't
Grading costs money: the grading fee itself, plus shipping and insurance both ways. For South African collectors that usually means sending cards overseas or going through a local intermediary service, so the costs and wait times are real. Before you send anything in, ask yourself:
- Is the card valuable or personally meaningful enough to justify the cost?
- Is it in strong enough condition to have a shot at a high grade? A card with visibly soft corners will come back with a middling grade — and a slab doesn't change that.
- Are you grading to sell, or to keep? If it's a keeper, protection and display might matter more than chasing a perfect 10.
Our collector-to-collector take: don't grade everything. Grade the cards that deserve it — big pulls, sentimental favourites, and cards where authentication genuinely adds peace of mind. For the rest, a good sleeve and toploader do the job beautifully at a fraction of the cost.
Japanese cards grade beautifully
One thing worth knowing if you collect Japanese product: Japanese cards have a reputation among graders and collectors for excellent print quality and consistency. That's one of many reasons sealed Japanese boxes are so loved — the cards inside tend to arrive in lovely condition, which gives your pulls a genuinely good chance when they go under the grader's loupe. Handle them right from the moment you open the pack: clean hands, sleeve immediately, and never stack raw cards.
Start with the pull
Every graded gem starts the same way — with a pack being opened. If you're hunting for that grade-worthy hit, our sealed Japanese and English boxes are imported carefully and sold at honest prices, because chasing the pull should be fair for everyone. Browse our sealed products collection to find your next box, and if you're building out the shelf around your slabs, our Pokémon toys and collectibles make fine company. Happy pulling — and may your corners stay sharp.