Whats a good rule of thumb for grading?

[Eric72]

The following is an oversimplification:

When deciding to sell sports cards, you may want to get some or all of these cards graded. In the modern marketplace, it makes them more liquid (easier to sell) and often causes them to sell for more money than their raw (ungraded) counterparts. This difference in price is a key part in determining which cards to grade.

If you're reasonably accurate with grading your own cards, you can help yourself by doing the following:

1. Determine the condition of each card, on a 1 to 10 scale, using PSA guidelines.
2. Take that number and lower it by 1. If you think your card is a 6, call it a 5 for this exercise.
3. Find recent "sold" listings for copies of the card you're trying to sell.
4. Isolate those sales for copies of your card in the PSA grade (use that lower number.) Average the last 5 sales of cards with the same general qualities (especially centering) as your copy. That's roughly what your card is "worth")
5. Repeat the process for raw (ungraded) copies of the same card.
6. The difference in average sales price is the value you'll add by getting it graded.
7. Cards with the largest differences will make the most sense (financially speaking) to get graded.

These are just steps I would follow. Your mileage may vary. No guarantees, of course. Grading companies can do some bizarre things, as can the sports card market.

[ChiSoxCardboard]

Originally Posted by Eric72

The following is an oversimplification:

When deciding to sell sports cards, you may want to get some or all of these cards graded. In the modern marketplace, it makes them more liquid (easier to sell) and often causes them to sell for more money than their raw (ungraded) counterparts. This difference in price is a key part in determining which cards to grade.

If you're reasonably accurate with grading your own cards, you can help yourself by doing the following:

1. Determine the condition of each card, on a 1 to 10 scale, using PSA guidelines.
2. Take that number and lower it by 1. If you think your card is a 6, call it a 5 for this exercise.
3. Find recent "sold" listings for copies of the card you're trying to sell.
4. Isolate those sales for copies of your card in the PSA grade (use that lower number.) Average the last 5 sales of cards with the same general qualities (especially centering) as your copy. That's roughly what your card is "worth")
5. Repeat the process for raw (ungraded) copies of the same card.
6. The difference in average sales price is the value you'll add by getting it graded.
7. Cards with the largest differences will make the most sense (financially speaking) to get graded.

These are just steps I would follow. Your mileage may vary. No guarantees, of course. Grading companies can do some bizarre things, as can the sports card market.

OP, I also don't get cards graded, but I do buy and sell them a fair amount. Eric72's basic formula for decision-making on this issue makes lots of sense. I'm going to send you a PM for some additional assistance. Good luck!

Brad

[swarmee]

I usually say 3x the grading fee is the increased value I'm looking for to make it worthwhile.

[campyfan39]

Thanks, everyone, for the input; it's been great.

I have found some to send, and I am more curious than anything. I will definitely write down my grade guesses and post them here, then reveal what they are when they come back.

I just wish it was simplified, as I saw a pic of a nine and a seven 59' Aaron, and they were indistinguishable.

All we need is what we always had:
Mint
Excellent
Very Good
Good
Poor (authentic but beat to death)

[raulus]

Good luck!

Hopefully you don't get the grader of death...

I will observe that I do grade cards, but rarely for resale with a need for a specific grade, so my approach tends to be different. Almost all of my graded cards have been rare oddball pieces with only a very few ever having been graded, and where I needed them to round out my personal set registry collection.

In a few cases, I do acquire some rare oddball pieces not for my own collection, but because I figure I can use them as trade bait for a similarly rare piece that I actually need, or else make some money off of them, assuming the right player collector comes along who is willing to pay handsomely for it. But usually the grade isn't that important, since usually the stuff that I pick up with this strategy is difficult to find in any condition. Whether I get a 3 or a 5 often doesn't make a huge difference in the price if there are only 3 others that have ever been graded, and they all graded at a 1.