How PSA Grading Helps You


When you submit your cards to Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA), your cards are examined by the top trading card grading experts in the world. After your cards are certified by PSA, you know that the industry's top experts have verified the authenticity and quality of your cards.

Each card submitted to PSA is examined by a minimum of three independent experts for grade and authenticity. PSA experts evaluate a card's physical condition based on the 10-point PSA grading scale. Cards that have been graded by PSA are encapsulated in a sonically sealed, tamper-evident holder with a certification tag listing a description of the card and the physical condition (also known as the "grade").

PSA experts also examine trading cards for authenticity. PSA will not encapsulate cards that bear evidence of trimming, re-coloring, restoration, or any other forms of tampering. When you own a card in a PSA holder, you know that PSA experts have verified that it is genuine and that it has not been artificially enhanced.

The PSA grading system is widely respected and has been supported by professional dealers, collectors and leading auction firms since 1991. The PSA Financial Guarantee of Grade and Authenticity is behind every card encapsulated in a PSA holder. As a result of the industry-wide acceptance of PSA grading, it's easy to buy and sell trading cards with confidence, sight-unseen, over the Internet.

 Benefits of PSA-graded cards include:

  • Premium prices - Because of the industry-wide acceptance of PSA grading and the increased buyer comfort levels, PSA cards sell for premium prices. If you are selling cards, PSA grading will allow you to achieve maximum results. If you are buying trading cards, PSA grading will allow you to be sure you're getting what you pay for and will also allow you to achieve maximum results when it comes time to sell those cards.

  • Safe, long-term storage - PSA's sonically sealed, tamper-evident holder provides optimum protection for your cards.

  • Sight-unseen trading -The unique certification number, which is sonically sealed inside each holder, may be used to identify and verify the physical condition of the card (the "grade"). The PSA Financial Guarantee of Grade and Authenticity is behind every card in a PSA holder. This allows buyers and sellers to trade cards sight-unseen with confidence.

  • Increased liquidity of your cards - PSA-graded cards are easier to sell because each card's grade and authenticity has been verified by PSA experts. Because of the PSA Guarantee of Grade and Authenticity, buyers have a high level of confidence in PSA-graded cards, which results in improved liquidity.

  • New Security Features - We have added several new security features to our holder. The neatest one is a security technique that makes use of an embedded repeating pattern, visible only with the use of a special hard plastic PSA Decoder™. This exclusive patented technology is designed to protect our customers and ensure that every PSA-graded card on the market is unquestionably genuine. It's also the coolest security feature going!

    Together, these elements have made PSA the world's largest and most respected, third-party grading and authentication service.
 

Professional Sports Authenticator,  P.O. Box 6180, Newport Beach, CA 92658         
Phone: 949-833-7995   800-325-1121   Fax: (949) 833-7955  Email: info@psacard.com