Should I Grade My Card? AI Analysis Tells You
“Should I grade this card?” is the most common question in the hobby, and the answer is rarely simple. Grading can multiply a card's value or waste your money entirely, depending on the card's condition, the grading company you choose, and current market dynamics. Collectors and dealers face this dilemma with every card in their collection, and getting it wrong means lost time, wasted fees, and missed opportunities. GradingMetric's AI removes the uncertainty by analyzing your card and delivering a clear, data-backed submit or hold recommendation.
Signs Your Card Is Worth Grading
Not every card needs to be graded, but certain characteristics signal strong grading potential. Here are the indicators that suggest your card belongs in a slab.
Sharp corners with no visible wear
Hold the card at eye level and examine all four corners under good lighting. If you cannot see any fuzzing, blunting, or whitening, the card has strong corner condition. This is one of the most heavily weighted factors in grading, and perfect corners are essential for grades of PSA 9 or above.
Well-centered on both front and back
Compare the border widths on all four sides. For a PSA 10, you need roughly equal borders (55/45 or better on both front and back). Many collectors check the front but forget that back centering counts equally. Poorly centered cards are capped at lower grades regardless of how pristine the surface is.
Significant value difference between raw and graded
Research the card's recent sales both raw and graded. If a PSA 9 sells for $200 and the raw card is $50, there is a strong financial incentive to grade. The larger the gap between raw and graded values, the more compelling the case for submission, provided the card has the condition to earn a high grade.
Key rookies, vintage, or high-demand cards
Cards with strong collector demand benefit the most from grading. Rookie cards of star players, vintage pre-war cards, and chase inserts from popular sets consistently command premiums when professionally graded. Authentication alone can add significant value for vintage cards.
Signs You Should Hold Off
Grading is not always the right move. Recognizing when to keep a card raw saves you money and preserves your options.
Visible surface scratches or print defects
If you can see scratches, scuffs, or print lines when you tilt the card under a light source, a grader will certainly find them. Surface issues can cap a card at PSA 7 or below, which often does not justify the grading fees unless the card has exceptional raw value.
Low raw value relative to grading costs
If a raw card is worth $10 and grading costs $30 with shipping, the graded card would need to sell for at least $40 to break even. For common cards, even a PSA 10 may not reach that threshold. Run the numbers before committing to a submission.
Noticeable centering issues or dinged corners
Cards with off-center printing or corners that show any wear are unlikely to grade above a PSA 8. If the card does not have strong value at mid-tier grades, the cost of grading outweighs the benefit. Save your submission fees for cards with genuine top-grade potential.
Cards in a declining market
If the player has been underperforming or the set is losing popularity, graded values may be dropping. By the time your card returns from grading, it could be worth less than when you submitted it. Consider market trends as part of your decision.
How AI Takes the Guesswork Out
Instead of relying on forum opinions or guessing based on a quick visual inspection, GradingMetric uses advanced AI vision analysis to give you an objective, data-driven answer.
AI identifies centering errors, corner wear, edge chips, and surface flaws that are easy to miss with the naked eye but will impact your grade.
Get a full probability matrix for grades 1 through 10 across PSA, BGS, CGC, and SGC, so you know what to expect from any grading company.
The Capital Score weighs grade probability against grading costs and market values to tell you whether submitting is a profitable move.
Not every grader evaluates the same way. See which grading company gives your specific card the best chance at the highest grade.
The Submit vs Hold Decision
GradingMetric's Capital Score simplifies the grading decision into a clear recommendation. After our AI analyzes your card's condition and calculates the financial implications, you receive a score from 0 to 100 that tells you exactly what to do.
A Capital Score of 70 or above means the expected return from grading exceeds the costs by a comfortable margin. The AI has determined that your card's condition is strong enough, and the market values at the likely grades are high enough, to make submission a profitable decision. These are cards you should prioritize for your next grading batch.
A Capital Score below 40 indicates the card is unlikely to generate a positive return from grading right now. This might be because the card's condition will likely result in a mid-tier grade, the grading fees are too high relative to the value increase, or the market for the card does not support graded premiums. Keep these cards raw and reassess when conditions change.
Borderline Scores (40-69)
Cards in the borderline range require judgment. The AI provides the full analysis so you can make an informed call. Consider factors like whether you are building a batch (which reduces per-card costs), whether you have a preferred grader relationship, or whether the card has personal significance beyond its market value.
Find Out If Your Card Is Worth Grading
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