Understanding PSA, BGS, and SGC: Which is the Best Sports Card Grading Company?
Key Takeaways
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Sports card grading companies are black boxes for most collectors. Most don’t really know what differentiates PSA vs. BGS vs. SGC grading, even though prices can vary drastically from one to the other. We’re here to break open that black box and tell you exactly where you should send your next rookie auto card. Prep your collection for a PSA 10 with this quick Giant Sports Cards guide.
Tracing The 10s: An Overview of Card Grading Companies
PSA (Professional Sports Authenticator)
PSA was established in 1991, and it’s easily the most widely recognized and trusted grading company operating today.
Spoiler Alert: It’s also our pick for the best sports card grading company, and you’ll find out why soon.
PSA uses a classic 1-10 grading scale, with the apex 10 rank named ‘Gem Mint.’ As you might expect, getting a perfect Gem Mint grading is incredibly difficult, which has a massive impact on cards that do achieve that rating. PSA is respected for its consistent grading methodology and transparent grading reports.
Let’s look at the overall pros and cons here.
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Pros |
Cons |
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Fetches the highest resale values on the market on average. |
Their high-end services are among the most expensive on the market. |
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Universally accepted by other collectors, auction houses, and dealers. |
Despite being known as the best sports card grading company, their turnaround times can be long (2-3 months) if you pay for a lower tier. |
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Their population reports offer a massive amount of data, giving you more value for your investment. |
Their toughness can be a double-edged sword. It’s hard to get a high grade here. |
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Their card slabs are iconic and largely tamper-proof. |
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Turnaround can be fast if you have the money for express services. |
Lowest Single Card Grading Cost: $24.99/card.
Long story short, before we dive into PSA vs. BGS grading, PSA is generally worth it for most collectors if reselling is your #1 priority, and you can afford to wait a little for the turnaround. A PSA-graded slab can command a premium of over $100 compared to other companies, making it an easy choice for most collectors.
Submit Your Top Cards with a Certified PSA Dealer!Ready to find out whether your auto rookies can pass the Gem Mint bar? We are, too. Get your valuable cards graded officially by the PSA through a certified PSA dealer today. Our submissions are prioritized by the PSA over regular submissions, giving you much faster turnaround times, and we also offer regular updates throughout the process. |
BGS (Beckett Grading Services)
Despite PSA holding the title of best sports card grading company, most collectors see BGS as a close second. As you’ll see in our PSA vs. SGC grading comparison, BGS offers higher premiums compared to companies like SGC, and their slabs are worth more, too.
BGS also uses a 1-10 grading scale, but that’s where the similarities end. BGS’s scale is much more detailed than PSA’s, incorporating four subgrades for:
- Centering
- Edges
- Surface
- Corners
As you might imagine, this gives potential buyers and collectors a lot more insight into the condition of their cards. Certain collectors even prioritize BGS vs. PSA grading for this very reason, and they’ll also pay more for it.
If your collection leans heavily into Panini basketball boxes or other modern TCGs, BGS might even be the best sports card grading company for you.
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Pros |
Cons |
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Considered more valuable for basketball cards. |
Turnaround times are lengthy for their base services. |
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Subgrades offer more information on card conditions. |
Average resale values for BGS grades are lower than those for PSA. |
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It can be significantly cheaper than PSA for certain collectors. |
BGS is more transparent due to sub-grading. |
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Black Labels are significantly more valuable (and the most valuable slab on the market). |
Lowest Single Card Grading Cost: $14.95/card (without subgrades)
SGC (Sportscard Guaranty Corporation)
PSA and BGS might dominate the best sports card grading company debate, but SGC brings its own unique advantages to the table. They’ve shifted to a standard 1-10 grading scale that incorporates half-point increments, and they’re surprisingly consistent considering their niche popularity.
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Pros |
Cons |
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Significantly cheaper compared to PSA and BGS. |
Resale values are much lower than PSA/BGS grades, not including vintage cards. Their vintage resale values are comparable to PSA. |
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Turnaround times are generally faster than PSA. |
Much fewer auction house partnerships than PSA and BGS. |
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They have a solid reputation for vintage, pre-1980s sports cards. |
Population reports are less detailed. |
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Their tuxedo slabs are instantly recognizable. |
Lowest Single Card Grading Cost: $15.00/card
Find Your Next Gem Mint
Whether you’re picking up new sports card releases, learning about PSA vs. BGS grading, or preparing a submission to the best sports card grading company, Giant Sports Cards has you covered. Unbox Your Love Of The Game™ with our fast turnaround times and free US shipping on orders over $199 today.