How It Works

From your hands to a sealed slab

Five steps, applied the same way to every submission, so you always know what is happening to your card.

  1. 01

    Submit

    Package your card following our packaging guidelines below, choose your service tier, and send it in. Careful packaging is the single biggest thing you can control to protect your card in transit.

  2. 02

    Authenticate

    Before any grade is assigned, every submission is checked for authenticity. Cards found to be counterfeit or altered are handled under the terms set out in our Terms of Service.

  3. 03

    Grade

    Expert graders assess centering, corners, edges and surface against our documented standards, then assign a final grade on the 1–10 scale. Each criterion is considered on its own before the overall grade is settled.

  4. 04

    Encapsulate

    Your card is sealed in a tamper-evident, premium protective slab together with its custom label — artwork chosen to suit the card rather than a generic template.

  5. 05

    Ship Back

    Your graded card is securely packaged and shipped back to you with tracking, protected for the return journey just as carefully as you protected it on the way in.

Packaging Guide

How to package your card

Careful packaging is the single biggest thing you control. Most avoidable transit damage comes down to a card that was free to move.

  1. 01

    Sleeve the card

    Place the card into a soft penny sleeve first. This prevents the card surface rubbing against anything harder.

  2. 02

    Add a rigid toploader

    Slide the sleeved card into a rigid toploader or card saver. The card should sit snugly without being forced.

  3. 03

    Secure the opening

    Tape across the opening of the toploader so the card cannot slide out in transit. Never apply tape directly to the card or to the penny sleeve itself.

  4. 04

    Pad the package

    Pack toploaders securely inside a padded or bubble mailer, or a small box, with enough padding that nothing shifts or bends during handling.

  5. 05

    Use tracked postage

    Send your submission using a tracked service, and consider insuring higher-value shipments. Keep your proof of postage until your card is safely back with you.

Please avoid

  • Never apply tape directly to a card, or to a sleeve that is in contact with a card.
  • Do not use paper clips, elastic bands or staples anywhere near a submission.
  • Avoid loose cards in plain envelopes — they bend easily and are the most common cause of avoidable transit damage.