Why card value changes the price
Grading companies sell their service in tiers. Each tier has a price per card and, at many companies, a limit on the declared value of the card: the most a card in that tier can be worth. If your card is worth more than the limit, you have to move it up to a more expensive tier, even if you don't need it back any faster. Collectors call this the value upcharge.
The declared value is the figure you enter when you submit the card. On a value-priced list it decides which tiers you're allowed to use, and it's usually the amount the grader insures the card for while it has it. Each company's terms say what happens if a card turns out to be worth more than you declared, so it's worth reading them before you guess low.
A few companies work the other way round. They charge one fee per tier whatever the card is worth, and the price only goes up if you want the card back faster. For a high-value card the difference between the two models can be large.
What a card costs at each value
The table below takes the US price lists of AGS, CGC Cards, PSA and TAG Grading and finds the cheapest tier each one accepts for a card at four declared values. It's the base grading fee per card, before shipping and insurance.
At $500, the cheapest option is CGC Cards at $17 (Bulk, minimum 25 cards), and the most expensive is PSA at $39.99.
At $2,500, the cheapest option is TAG Grading at $29.95, and the most expensive is PSA at $199. AGS has no published tier for a card worth that much.
At $10,000, the cheapest option is TAG Grading at $29.95, and the most expensive is PSA at $599. AGS has no published tier for a card worth that much.
At $25,000, the cheapest option is TAG Grading at $29.95, and the most expensive is CGC Cards at $300. AGS and PSA have no published tier for a card worth that much.
| Card value | AGS | CGC Cards | PSA | TAG Grading |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $500 | $30 | $17 | $39.99 | $29.95 |
| $2,500 | $55 | $199 | $29.95 | |
| $10,000 | $100 | $599 | $29.95 | |
| $25,000 | $300 | $29.95 |
TAG Grading stays at the same price in every row, which is the flat-fee model at work. On the value-priced lists the price climbs as the card gets more valuable.
AGS' published tiers stop at cards worth $500. PSA's published tiers stop at cards worth $10,000. Above that, ask the company directly about higher-value service.
Graders that price by card value
On these price lists every tier states the highest declared value it accepts. To find your price, pick the cheapest tier whose limit is at or above what your card is worth.
Ace Grading
Ace Grading's 7 tiers start at £12.00 per card for cards worth up to £500. Its highest value limit is £10,000, on the Luxury tier at £100.00.
| Tier | Fee per card | Card value accepted |
|---|---|---|
| Core | £12.00 | Cards up to £500 |
| Value | £14.00 | Cards up to £500 |
| Basic | £18.00 | Cards up to £500 |
| Standard | £22.00 | Cards up to £1,000 |
| Premier | £28.00 | Cards up to £2,000 |
| Ultra | £50.00 | Cards up to £5,000 |
| Luxury | £100.00 | Cards up to £10,000 |
AGS (Automated Grading Systems)
AGS' 3 tiers start at $15.00 per card for cards worth up to $100. Its highest value limit is $500, on the Premier Bulk tier at $30.00.
| Tier | Fee per card | Card value accepted |
|---|---|---|
| Standard Bulk | $15.00 | Cards up to $100 |
| Economy Bulk | $20.00 | Cards up to $200 |
| Premier Bulk | $30.00 | Cards up to $500 |
CGC Cards
CGC Cards' 6 tiers start at $17.00 per card for cards worth up to $500. Its highest value limit is $100,000, on the WalkThrough tier at $300.00. Above that, its Unlimited Value tier has no value limit but adds 1% of the card's value to the $300.00 fee.
| Tier | Fee per card | Card value accepted |
|---|---|---|
| Bulk | $17.00 | Cards up to $500 |
| Economy | $20.00 | Cards up to $1,000 |
| Standard | $55.00 | Cards up to $3,000 |
| Express | $100.00 | Cards up to $10,000 |
| WalkThrough | $300.00 | Cards up to $100,000 |
| Unlimited Value | $300.00 | No value limit; plus 1% of the card's value |
Premier Card Grading (PCG)
Premier Card Grading's 4 tiers start at NZD 25.00 per card for cards worth up to NZD 1,000. Its highest value limit is NZD 100,000, on the Same Day tier at NZD 60.00.
| Tier | Fee per card | Card value accepted |
|---|---|---|
| Bulk | NZD 25.00 | Cards up to NZD 1,000 |
| Standard | NZD 35.00 | Cards up to NZD 2,500 |
| Express | NZD 50.00 | Cards up to NZD 2,500 |
| Same Day | NZD 60.00 | Cards up to NZD 100,000 |
PSA
PSA's 6 tiers start at $39.99 per card for cards worth up to $500. Its highest value limit is $10,000, on the Premier tier at $599.00.
| Tier | Fee per card | Card value accepted |
|---|---|---|
| Value | $39.99 | Cards up to $500 |
| Standard | $59.99 | Cards up to $1,000 |
| Priority | $79.99 | Cards up to $1,500 |
| Express | $199.00 | Cards up to $2,500 |
| Super Express | $349.00 | Cards up to $5,000 |
| Premier | $599.00 | Cards up to $10,000 |
Graders with one fee at any value
These price lists put no declared-value limit on any tier you can order. A card worth a few dollars and a card worth thousands cost the same in the same tier.
MTG Grade has 3 tiers from €12.00 to €40.00 per card (France prices), and none of them has a value limit. The price depends on how fast you want the card back, not on what it's worth.
TAG Grading has 6 tiers from $29.95 to $299.95 per card (United States prices), and none of them has a value limit. The price depends on how fast you want the card back, not on what it's worth.
Graders we can't confirm
For 27 other graders in our directory, the published price list doesn't state a value limit for every tier. That doesn't mean they charge one flat fee; it means their own pages don't say. Check their terms before you declare a value.
AiGrading · Alpha Card Grading (ACG) · AP Grading · ARK Grading · ARS (Arsales) · Beckett (BGS) · Capy Grading · CCC Grading · Degree Grading · Diamond Service Grading (DSG) · Edge Grading · Electric Card Grading · ESCG · GMA Grading · GRAAD · Gradd · GradeLat · Gradingpoint · ISA · MNT Grading · PCC-Grading · PDT Grading · Pure Grading · Rare Edition · SFG Grading · SGC · TCG Grading (Australia)
How to avoid paying more than you need
- Value the card first. Look up recent sold prices for the same card and grade before you choose a tier, so you know which value limit you need.
- Pick the cheapest tier that covers it. On a value-priced list, the right tier is the cheapest one whose limit is at or above your card's value.
- Compare a flat-fee grader for valuable cards. The more a card is worth, the more a one-fee grader can save, as long as it suits where you plan to sell.
- Don't declare low to save money. The declared value usually sets the insurance cover, and graders' terms deal with under-declared cards.
Questions people ask
Does TAG upcharge for expensive cards?
No. None of TAG's 6 published tiers has a declared-value limit, so a valuable card costs the same as any other, from $29.95 per card. You pay more only for faster turnaround.
Does PSA charge more for valuable cards?
Yes. Each PSA tier has a maximum declared value. The cheapest, Value at $39.99, takes cards worth up to $500; a more valuable card has to go in a higher tier.
Which grader is cheapest for a $10,000 card?
Of the US price lists we can check, TAG Grading is cheapest at $29.95 (Value). The most expensive option is PSA at $599 (Premier). AGS has no published tier for a card worth that much.
How we built this guide
Every figure comes from each company's own published price list, on the dates listed below. We use one price list per company, so tiers from different pages are never mixed. A company only counts as value-priced when every tier you can order on its list states a value limit, and as flat-fee when none does. Everything else is marked as not confirmed. Specialty services, such as oversized-card tiers, are left out. Prices aren't converted between currencies.