What is grading and what does it mean?
Grading is the evaluation of a card by an independent grading company. The card is evaluated on various criteria such as corners, centering, surface, print quality and edges, after which the card is given a grade that reflects its condition.
What are the advantages of grading?
If you have a card of the highest quality, you can have it confirmed by grading and achieve a higher price on the market.
Grading can identify counterfeits and prevent collectors from purchasing worthless cards
Grading allows collectors to obtain an independent opinion from a professional appraiser to avoid disputes over a card's condition.
Cards with higher grades are more sought after on the market and can increase interest from buyers and collectors.
Why should I have a card graded?
There are several reasons why you might grade a card. As a collector, the most important reason is to protect the card from all possible influences. Graded cards are well protected from dust and all other external influences in an airtight case. They usually cannot be removed from the case without destroying the case.
Another reason for grading is certainly to increase the value of the card. Graded cards go through a very strict evaluation process and this ensures that it is a genuine trading card and not a fake card. As in all collectors' circles, some cards here also have astronomical prices. Graded cards from PSA are particularly considered to increase in value. However, all cards generally receive a certain increase in value through grading.
Why should I have a card graded through Cardolution and its partners?
There are now many grading companies, and with the recent Pokemon hype, these have literally sprung up. The most renowned company is PSA from the United States. However, the grading process there takes a relatively long time and you naturally have to send the card a long way and you may not see it.
Not again for 3 - 6 months.
Cardolution tested several companies and finally decided on BlackGradingService from Ludwigshafen as a partner. We have by far the best service here, the best (and finest!) cases and always receive a fair evaluation. Because we cooperate with BlackGradingService, the grading process is a little faster, you usually get your cards back after 10 days. In some cases it can of course take longer, but you usually get your cards back 10 days after they arrive at BlackGradingService. You don't have to send the cards so far here and above all you stay within Germany.
Our prices already include the return shipping costs, which is why the shop price is a little higher. But the bottom line is that you get off a little cheaper if you have the cards graded by Cardolution. You buy the grading through us and then send the cards straight to our grading partner. You will receive all the necessary data and information from Cardolution after payment. Grading and return shipping is then handled directly by BlackGradingService. If there are any problems, contact Cardolution and we will solve the problem to your satisfaction.
If you buy a card from Cardolution and want to have it graded right away, just buy agrading at the same time,
and we take care of the shipping to our partner. Participation in our loyalty program is also worthwhile here, because you collect loyalty points and if you have collected just one loyalty point, we will cover the shipping costs and the shipping for cards for which you have ordered a grading at the same time.
In short: you buy a card and a grading for it at the same time, then you only pay the return shipping costs if you participate in the loyalty program. In this case, we cover the shipping costs to send the card to our partner.
What are the disadvantages of grading?
Grading can take time because the card has to be sent in and checked.
Sometimes grading may not increase the value of a card, especially if it is already a poorly preserved card.
The opinion of grading companies can be subjective and therefore may not always clearly reflect the condition of the card.
Some collectors prefer the charm of ungraded cards and prefer to grade their collection themselves.
How is the grading done?
This is a quick guide on how to proceed.
If you purchase a grading to have your own cards graded:
- Order the desired grading from Cardolution
- Payment to Cardolution
- Own shipping to BlackGradingService
(You have to pay for shipping costs and secure shipping yourself)
- Grading process is carried out by BlackGradingService
- Return of your cards by BlackGradingService
If you buy a card and order the grading at the same time:
- Order the card you want to have graded
- Order the desired grading from Cardolution
(The card and the grading must be in the same order, if you have more cards
but only one grading, please tell us which cards we should grade.
the name of the card and our article number.)
- Payment to Cardolution
- Shipping to BlackGradingService by Cardolution
(We cover shipping costs and secure shipping!)
- Grading process is carried out by BlackGradingService
- Return of your cards by BlackGradingService
