Unlike the other articles I've written on this site, I've decided to write an article on the more collection-oriented side of things. Even before the collector boom of 2020, Pokemon has always had collectability behind it. From being able to keep first edition packs sealed from base set, or finding your favorite secret art of a Pokemon, this has always been a great entry point to collecting. But over the years, Pokemon has had an uptick in one special form of collecting, graded cards.

So, what is a graded card? A graded card is a card put in a hard sealed case and given a score from the grader with a fancy header tag. The most common graders of Pokemon are PSA, Beckett, CGC and the newest one, TAG. Services like these graders will compare the condition of your cards to what is considered a "perfect card." This means dings or dents in the card, print quality and position, scuffs on the face, back and corners, or even misprints on the card can determine the condition. I suggest doing research of each grading service's qualifications of what a "perfect 10" is and how they evaluate each card. This will allow you to figure out which service to go to, and if getting your card graded is right for you.

Now that we have an idea of what a graded card is you might wonder, when do you get a card graded versus just letting it live in your binder? There're a couple of things to consider. What is the condition of your card? If it's beat up, or doesn't look great, you might not want to invest into getting it graded unless you have sentimental value. Are you doing it for price value? Then you should look into prices of the last sold card at the higher grades for the selected cards. For example, a 7 or 8 of a card might be worth just the same or less than the card not graded. If you want to try for a 9 or 10, make sure it's worth the hassle. If the price increase isn't big enough, it might not be worth the headache of packaging and sending it out.

Another reason you might want to grade your card is for personal sentimental value. In my case, I own a very expensive card that was graded as a "Gem Mint 10" from CGC. While I could easily get it sold for a decent amount of money, I choose not to as it's a card from back when I used to play the deck it's based around. But in another person's case, the graded card might not be super expensive, but it might have sentimental value. If this is your situation, I suggest you get it graded. Grading your card can be a great way to keep memories as it preserves the card. You could even go and buy a graded 8, 9, or 10 of your favorite card which will allow you to have a cool collectible to show friends.

If you are looking to send out random cards to get graded to make some quick cash, I advise against it. There's a ton of cases that cards might actually drop in value if it's not graded at least a 9. Due to the rate at which things get graded for print errors, the card's grade might actually even be out of your control. You might open a pack with the card off center enough to push it to a 9, with it also being dented in the pack. While the gamble is high, you might actually lose overall value from having random bulk rares graded.

Another weird card condition you can get is an "error" card! An error card might be something completely off center or missing ink. If you see below, one of the cards I'm looking to send in to get graded is specifically an "error" card. This can be a fun way to preserve a card for your collection. One of the best types of cards to preserve are the weird ones.

One downside to grading though is that as it gets way more popular, the turnaround time for grading can be longer than a month. Grading cards has become a way to preserve favorite cards, but also a way for people to find a quick profit on older cards. Keep that in mind as you continue your card grading adventure.

If you've decided to get your cards graded, congratulations! The process is actually super fun. As shown in the picture below, I have a huge amount of my favorite cards ready to be sent out to get graded. To get your cards graded, you simply go to the service's website, create an account and fill out a list of what cards you wish to send in. They'll give you the ability to express your shipment (which I suggest you do for more expensive cards), finalize anything and insure your package. Don't skip on the package insurance, as if your card is graded at a 10, it will definitely be worth way more than what was sent out!