There’s no doubt about it – TCG, be it Pokémon, Magic: The Gathering, or One Piece, unites people of all ages because of the thrill that comes from strategising, overcoming challenges, learning a bit of psychology by reading opponents’ moves, as well as being part of a bigger community with the chance for increasing the socialising circle.

Of course, experiencing the dopamine burst that comes from opening and collecting booster packs is a crucial part of this thrill too. However, regardless of whether you’re a novice or a seasoned player, sometimes it’s easy to get fooled into buying fake cards even having the knowledge of the tell-tale counterfeit signs like the back-of-card details, the quality of the print and texture or the inner core layer.

Improved printing technologies, rising card values, online marketplace sellers are some of the factors that drive this, hence the importance of evaluation with PSA TCG grading services.

What is PSA Grading?

Short for Professional Sports Authentication, it’s one of the leading third-party grading services in charge of evaluating and assigning numerical grades to collectible cards.

What Are the Benefits of PSA Grading?

Given that it’s a standardised assessment with a 10-point scale (ranging from PSA 1 Poor to PSA 10 Gem Mint), it’s the easiest way to determine the value of the cards. As such, it’s one of the processes that helps collectors who buy or sell have peace of mind on the authenticity of the cards, as well as on their condition thanks to the universally recognised numerical grades.

If you’re considering whether you should opt for this important step in your TCG hobby and whether you should invest in TCG grading services, there are two additional factors that can help make your decision in favour of it. These are the chance to enhance your collection’s appeal, storing and organising it neatly, plus the chance to protect your investment in the long run as the cards are encased in protective holders that keep them safe from damage and environmental factors to preserve their condition.

Moreover, the professional third-party PSA experts who do the trading card grading have all the knowledge on the genuine cards, and are rigorous about the 10-point scale. So, the PSA grading standard is a way to avoid scams, and if you consider using the cards as a valuable asset you can sell in the future, the grading can give your collection credibility.

Not to mention, there’s more market demand for numerically high graded cards than ungraded ones, giving you more chances of increasing the resale value of your graded card collection than raw copies. To give you an idea on this, the ultra-rare Magic: The Gathering “One Ring” card that was sold to rapper Post Malone for $2.64M was a Mint 9.

The PSA 10-Point Scale

• PSA GEM-MT 10 (Gem Mint) – These are cards that are basically flawless, with perfect surface, smooth edges, and great factory printing alignment.
• PSA Mint 9 – Although these cards have flaws, they’re minor, with slight centre or corner imperfections.
• PSA NM-MT 8 (Near Mint-Mint) – These cards can have the centring off, or come with signs of wear on the edges or corners.
• PSA EX-MT 6 to NM 7 (Excellent-Mint) – These are cards with more wear, with edges that are chipped or corners that are rounded, and notable centring being off.
• PSA VG-EX 4 to EX 5 (Very Good-Excellent) – These are cards with significant wear, with damages to the surface or the corners.
• PSA GOOD 2 to VG 3 (Good-Very Good) – These are cards with more damaging and defects on the edges, corners, surface, print.
• PSA PR 1 (Poor) – These are cards with various signs of damage, such as significant tears, holes or creases.

How to Get PSA in Australia?

Easy – through authorised Australian-based dealers and local submission services. It’s a streamlined process that involves placing your order online, packing your cards adequately and posting or dropping them off at the local service providers.

Look for official PSA certified TCG card grading dealers, so you have the certainty they’re trustworthy. They should have the needed registration and certifications, and provide the info on full-value insurance and tracking coverage so you have the peace of mind viewing the submissions from start to finish – including submission preparation, consolidation, shipping to PSA and return to Australia in the form of PSA encapsulated graded TCG cards placed in tamper-evident holders.

It’s also helpful to look for dealers that don’t have a card minimum, giving you the flexibility to decide on how many cards you want to have graded based on your budget. One card or an entire collection, it’s up to you. Lastly, speaking of budget, there are different options you can choose from based on how quickly you want the services done, starting off with the most affordable value to standard, priority, express and the pricey super express.