PSA vs. BGS – Which Grading Company Should You Submit to?

Beckett Grading Services (BGS) Overview:

• Website: Beckett.com
• Submit Your Cards to Beckett

BGS was founded by Dr. James Beckett, a statistician, which initially thrived as a price guide publisher before expanding into grading. Although BGS has faced challenges with grading consistency and branding, they have recently updated their labels for better consistency, with graded 8 or below cards now having a silver label, enhancing the aesthetic uniformity of collections.

Pros:

• Detailed grading scale offering half-point grades, providing a nuanced understanding of a card’s quality.
• Colored labels for top-graded cards, which are instantly recognizable.
• Report Card feature detailing the reasons for a card’s grade, based on centering, surface, edges, and corners.
• Historically strong performance with modern baseball rookie cards and basketball cards.
• Ideal for grading thick patch RPAs due to robust case sizes and thickness​​.

Cons:

• Variations in grading quality have been observed, leading to some inconsistencies.
• Its website and resources have been less user-friendly, although recent updates indicate improvements​​.

Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA) Overview:

• Website: Psacard.com
• Submit Your Cards to PSA

PSA is arguably the more recognized name in card grading, with a reputation for commanding higher resale values for graded cards. PSA grading scales are straightforward, lacking the half-point grades that BGS offers, which could be seen as a simplification for investors and collectors​​​​​​​​​​.

Pros:

• High brand recognition and trust within the collector community.
• Cards graded by PSA often fetch higher prices on the secondary market.
• The slimmer case design of PSA slabs allows for better scanning and photo presentation.
• PSA’s website provides extensive, free resources that are considered user-friendly and informative​​.

Cons:

• PSA slabs are thinner and can be more prone to damage if not handled properly, particularly in transit.
• The lack of half-point grades may not reflect the nuanced condition differences that BGS provides.

Resale Value

Selling price is really important for most people who collect cards because they want to make sure they can sell the card for as much as they paid, or even more later on.

How do you know if you’re getting a good deal on a card?

It’s easy: look up what similar cards have sold for on eBay recently. If you want to see what a card has sold for in the past, check out A Pro’s Guide to Navigating the World of Sports Card Values I’ll write more about this later, so keep an eye on my website for more info.

Now, let’s talk about how much money PSA and BGS cards sell for. Most of the time, a card with a PSA 10 grade sells for more money than a card with a BGS 9 grade. The only time this might not be true is with BGS 10 cards, which can sell for a lot because they’re much rarer. You can see this by looking at recent sales of the same card graded by both PSA and BGS.

What about the BGS 10 Black Labels?

BGS 10 pristine condition cards are a collector’s dream, significantly more sought-after than PSA 10s due to their rarity. These cards often command much higher prices, reflecting their exceptional status. The Black Label Pristine from BGS adds an extraordinary level of exclusivity, turning even the most common card into a coveted item once graded.

This rarity not only elevates the card’s worth but also its allure within the collecting community. Beckett’s BGS 10 label is their ace, potentially positioning them to overtake as the leading grading company, thanks to the long-term value and prestige attached to these labels.