How Card Grading Works: The Complete Guide
From submission to slab: how grading companies evaluate centering, corners, edges, and surface — and how the process actually works end to end.
ByCGN Staff
Card grading is the process of having a third party authenticate a card and assign it a condition grade, typically on a 1–10 scale. That number drives value — often dramatically.
The four pillars
Graders evaluate centering, corners, edges, and surface. A card is usually only as strong as its weakest attribute.
The process
You submit, the service authenticates, grades, encapsulates in a tamper-evident slab, and registers the card in its population report.
What it costs
Fees scale with declared value and turnaround speed. Bulk tiers reduce per-card cost but add wait time.
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