If you own a Baseball card collection that contains and Babe Ruth cards you might want to look in to having those cards Professionally Graded. Having a card graded can help you in many ways especially in determining if the card is real or fake. Baseball card grading is a very easy process. A graded card also helps you determine how much a card is worth based on the grade that the card receives. If you had a 1933 Goudey Babe Ruth card it might be worth a few hundred dollars ungraded. That same card graded in let’s say a NM-7 Grade or NM-MT 8 grade might be worth a few thousand dollars. It really doesn’t matter if you are a big card dealer or just a novice collector having a baseball card graded is an intelligent thing to do if you what too preserve you baseball cards for the future or just want to know what they are worth. We will discuss in the post some of the grading card companies that are out there and what to look for when having a Baseball card graded.
Grading Card Companies
There are a few baseball card grading companies that do quite a good job when it comes to grading and authenticating baseball cards. The biggest thing to take into consideration is price and reputation. You will have to weigh the choices for yourself but we will talk about some of the grading companies that we have used in the past and why.
PSA Grading
PSA has been around for a very long time and is one of the leading Grading card companies in the United States. PSA is located in California and have a strong following when it comes to Vintage Baseball Cards. Here is a list of some of the Pros and Cons of sending your cards to PSA.
Pros: * Great Reputation and one of the best known companies in the Industry
* Experts on Vintage Cards and have a strong customer following
Cons: * PSA is extremely Pricey. About $15-$35 per card plus you have to be a member of the membership club which cost another $99.00
* Slow Turn Around times. What they post on the form is not accurate either.
Beckett Grading is another known company. They are mostly know for their price guide which has been around for ages.
Pros: * Beckett is a trusted name in the Industry
* Beckett is pretty good about turnaround time
Cons: * Beckett grading can be a little inaccurate when it comes to grading. There BCCG service is what of the most inaccurate in the industry.
* Beckett charges about $10-$35 per card to have graded based on the turnaround time
GMA Grading has been around since 2001 which is fairly new to the industry but have made a name for them from having their cards appear on Home Shopping Network
Pros: * GMA Grading has the best turnaround time in the industry. 5 Business Days
* GMA has the best pricing compared to Becket and PSA at only $2.00 per card
Cons: * GMA does not have the followers as does PSA or Beckett.
Please take your time to review the Pro and Cons to determine which grading card company best serves you. They all do a great job and each one has its benefits. If you have Babe Ruth cards that you want to get graded don’t be afraid to use these companies.