How to get Pokémon cards graded

Pick the cards worth it

Grading costs €10 to €50 a card on common tiers, depending on the grader and the turnaround, plus shipping both ways. On a card worth a few euros it doesn't pay off. Good candidates: sought-after cards in great condition (full arts, alternate arts, vintage), cards whose authenticity could be questioned, and cards you simply want protected.

Check the condition at home

Four things make the grade: centering (the left/right and top/bottom margins), corners (whitening, bends), edges (wear, chipping) and surface (scratches, dents, print lines). For the surface, light the card with a phone torch held almost flat: scratches on holo foil show up.

For centering, our free centering tool measures the margins from a photo and gives the centering grade on our scale.

Choose a grader

Look at price per card, real turnaround (from days to months depending on the grader), subgrades and how much you'll know about your grade. At FLGGrade a card is graded in 5 to 7 days for €12.49, with four subgrades on the label and a public report of every defect: express speed at an entry-tier price. Prices and turnaround side by side: our comparison.

Declare the submission

You list the cards online before shipping them. With us: an account (one click with Google), cards found by name, each card's language, then the service (Regular 5 to 7 days, Express 1 to 2 days, lower prices from 10 cards) and payment. Promotion codes go on the payment page.

Pack the cards

Each card in a penny sleeve, then a toploader or semi-rigid holder. Group them in a team bag and wedge them with bubble wrap in a stiff envelope or small box so they can't move. No rubber bands or paper clips on cards. Details: shipping guidelines.

Ship with tracking

The trip to the grader is at your risk: always ship tracked, and insured for valuable cards. Then add the tracking number to your submission from your profile.

Follow the grading

The stated turnaround starts when the package arrives. At FLGGrade every card is photographed under light from several angles; the grade, the four subgrades and every defect go on the cert's page as soon as they're ready, before the card even ships back.

Get the cards back

Return shipping is paid separately: in France from €3.50 with Mondial Relay or €6 with Colissimo, and from €16 to the rest of Europe, with an insured option against signature. When they arrive, type the cert number into the cert lookup: the page should show your card.

Sell or keep

To sell, put the cert number in your listing: the buyer checks the card and sees why it got its grade, which builds trust before they bid.