By card type
Grading advice tailored to Pokemon, sports, vintage and Japanese trading cards, including the flaws that matter most for each.
- Pokemon Card Grading Guide: Condition Issues That Matter MostPokemon cards most often miss top grades because of centering, whitening on the dark-printed back edges and corners, scratches and print lines on holo and textured cards, and surface dents. Check the back first, tilt holo cards under a single light and measure centering before spending on grading.3 min read
- Which Pokemon Cards Are Worth Grading? A Decision GuideA Pokemon card is worth grading when it has strong demand, a meaningful price premium at a high grade, condition that makes that grade plausible and a purpose such as selling or long-term holding. Judge each card on those four factors using sold prices, not asking prices.3 min read
- Sports Card Grading for Beginners: What to Know Before You SubmitStart by grading cards with real value at a high grade, such as key rookies and sought-after parallels, not bulk. Check centering, corners, edges and surface, remember that chrome-style cards show surface lines and corner chips readily, and calculate the economics before submitting.3 min read
- Vintage vs Modern Card Grading: How Expectations DifferVintage cards were made with looser manufacturing controls, so centering and print quality vary more and graders weigh eye appeal. Modern cards are printed to tighter standards, so flaws are less excusable and the top grade is expected to be flawless. The scale is the same, but the context is different.3 min read
- Grading Japanese Pokemon Cards: What to CheckJapanese Pokemon cards are graded on the same four areas as any card, but promos, glossy finishes and different back designs mean you should check centering on both sides, inspect the finish for scratches and look at the back border for whitening. Condition varies by card, so measure rather than assume.3 min read
Before you pay for grading
Put your card through the same tests, free.
Before The Grade turns the grading companies' published standards into measurable checks. Upload the front and back of a card and get a condition report that shows every measurement and every flaw it found, so you can judge the prediction yourself. 1 free report when you confirm your email.