A guy came in last month with a single card in a top loader and handled it like it was made of glass. Asked us point blank — should he send it off to get graded? We looked at it for about ten seconds and told him no. Not because the card wasn’t nice. Because it had a soft corner that would tank the grade enough to not be worth the cost.
He looked a little disappointed, but he thanked us for being straight with him instead of just taking his money and sending it off anyway.
That’s basically the whole reason we put this guide together. How to grade Pokémon cards sounds like a simple question, and it isn’t, really. People assume grading is just “send it in, get a number back.” There’s a lot more to it than that, and knowing it ahead of time saves you money and disappointment. At Weevil Cards & Collectibles, we field this question almost daily, so let’s walk through it properly.
We’re at 621 Boll Weevil Cir Ste 32B, Enterprise, AL 36330. Call us at +1 334-475-4254 if you’d rather just bring a card in and have someone look at it in person.
What Grading Actually Means
Grading is when a third-party company examines your card and assigns it a numerical score, usually on a 1 to 10 scale, based on its physical condition. That card then gets sealed in a tamper-proof plastic holder with the grade printed right on the label. Once it’s graded, the card’s condition is locked in and verified — nobody can argue with you about whether it’s “near mint” or not, because there’s a professional opinion sealed right there with it.
This matters because raw cards — meaning ungraded ones — rely entirely on the buyer trusting the seller’s description of condition. A graded card removes that guesswork. That’s really the core of how to grade Pokémon cards and why people bother at all. It’s not really about the plastic case. It’s about trust and verification.
At Weevil Cards & Collectibles, we see both sides of this constantly — people bringing in graded cards to sell, and people asking whether their raw cards are worth sending off. The answer depends on a handful of things we’ll get into.
What Graders Are Actually Looking At
If you want to understand how to grade Pokémon cards the way professionals do, you need to know the four things every grading company checks. They’re all some version of the same four categories, even if the exact wording differs between companies.
Centering
This is how evenly the image sits within the card’s border. A perfectly centered card has equal margins on all four sides. Off-center printing is extremely common — way more common than people expect — and it’s one of the biggest reasons cards get knocked down a grade or two. You can usually spot bad centering with your own eyes if you flip the card over and check the border on the back too, since both sides need to line up.
Corners
Sharp corners score well. Corners that are soft, rounded, or show any whitening at the tip get penalized fast. This is probably the single most common issue we see on cards people bring in — years of being handled, shoved in binders, or carried around as a kid take a visible toll on corners specifically.
Edges
Similar idea to corners, but along the full length of each side. Whitening along the edges, little nicks, or rough texture all count against the card. Edge whitening, especially, is something that happens gradually, and a lot of people don’t even notice it on their own cards until someone points it out under good lighting.
Surface
This covers scratches, print lines, indentations, stains, and anything else affecting the flat surface of the card. Surface issues can be sneaky — sometimes you need to tilt a card under a light at an angle to even see a scratch that’s otherwise invisible. Graders examine surfaces extremely closely, often under magnification.
All four categories are weighted together to produce the final number. A card can be flawless in three categories and still get knocked down significantly by one bad corner. That’s the part people underestimate the most when they’re learning how to grade Pokémon cards for the first time.
The Grading Scale, Explained Without the Jargon
Most companies use a 1-10 scale, though the exact labels vary slightly.
Gem Mint (10)
Essentially flawless under close inspection. Perfect centering, sharp corners, clean surface, no visible flaws even under magnification. These are rare and command serious premiums.
Mint (9)
Extremely close to perfect with maybe one very minor flaw — a tiny surface imperfection or slightly imperfect centering that’s still well within acceptable range.
Near Mint to Mint (7-8)
Very good condition with small, noticeable flaws. Maybe a slightly soft corner or minor edge wear. Still a strong, collectible grade.
Excellent to Near Mint (5-6)
Visible wear that’s noticeable without much scrutiny. Still a presentable card, but the flaws are real and affect value meaningfully.
Below 5
Significant wear — bent corners, noticeable surface damage, heavy whitening. Still collectible for some cards, particularly rare ones, but the grade reflects real condition issues.
Knowing this scale ahead of time helps set realistic expectations before you send anything in. A card you think looks “perfect” at home, under regular lighting, with the naked eye, often comes back at an 8 or 9 instead of a 10 once a professional examines it under magnification.
The Actual Steps Involved in Submitting a Card
Here’s the practical side of how to grade Pokémon cards — what actually happens once you decide to send something in.
Step One: Pick a Grading Company
There are several established companies in this space, each with its own reputation, turnaround time, and pricing tiers. Some specialize more in trading cards specifically and are generally more trusted within the Pokémon collecting community than companies that grade a broader mix of memorabilia.
Step Two: Choose a Service Tier
Most companies offer multiple speeds — slower and cheaper, or faster and significantly more expensive. The price difference between tiers can be substantial, sometimes the difference between $20 and $150 per card, depending on how fast you want it back.
Step Three: Prep the Card
This means a clean top loader or a penny sleeve plus a top loader, nothing fancy, no taping it shut (graders specifically don’t want tape near their products). Don’t try to clean the card yourself with anything beyond a soft microfiber cloth — improperly cleaning a card can actually damage it and tank the grade.
Step Four: Submit and Wait
Depending on the tier you choose, this can range from a couple of weeks to several months. Patience is genuinely part of the process.
Step Five: Get It Back
The card returns sealed in its graded holder with the label showing the grade and basic card information. At that point, it’s done — that grade is permanent and verified.
If all of this sounds like more than you want to handle on your own, that’s completely normal. A lot of people who come through Weevil Cards & Collectibles ask us to help walk them through the process or even handle the submission piece for them.
The Real Pros of Getting a Card Graded
- Verified condition. Buyers trust a graded card’s condition without having to take your word for it. This alone often increases what someone is willing to pay.
- Protection. The sealed holder protects the card from future damage permanently. No more worrying about a stray scratch or bent corner down the road.
- Resale value. For cards that are already valuable, a high grade can significantly boost the final sale price compared to the same card in its raw.
- Authentication. Grading companies also catch fakes and alterations. A graded card carries a level of trust that a raw card simply can’t match.
- Easier to sell. Graded cards move faster in the resale market because buyers don’t have to negotiate over condition disputes.
When Grading Probably Isn’t Worth It
This part matters just as much as the pros, and it’s honestly the part most guides gloss over because it doesn’t sound exciting. Not every card should be graded.
If the card itself is only worth ten or fifteen dollars raw, grading fees alone can exceed its value, even before factoring in shipping both ways. If a card already has visible damage — a noticeable bend, a deep scratch, a soft corner you can feel with your finger — it’s probably going to grade low enough that it’s not worth the cost. And if you’re just trying to preserve a sentimental card rather than sell it, a simple top loader and a sleeve do the job for a fraction of the price.
This is exactly the kind of call our team makes constantly at Weevil Cards & Collectibles. We’ll look at a card honestly and tell you straight whether it’s worth sending off or not — because we’d rather save you the fee than take your money and let you find out the hard way three months later.
How to Protect a Card’s Grade Potential Before You Even Submit It
- Sleeve it the moment it comes out of the pack, before it ever sits loose in a binder or box.
- Store it upright, never flat, under a stack of other cards where pressure can bend it over time.
- Keep it out of direct sunlight and humidity — both cause damage that affects surface and edge quality.
- Handle by the edges only, never the front or back surface, since oils from your hands build up over time.
- Avoid penny sleeves alone for long-term storage — pair with a rigid top loader for any real protection.
Why People Trust Weevil Cards & Collectibles With Their Grading Questions
We’re not trying to upsell anyone on grading every card they own. That’s not how we operate. Our team has handled enough collections to know the difference between a card genuinely worth submitting and one that should just stay sleeved on a shelf. We’ll tell you the truth either way.
Beyond honest advice, we help people prep submissions correctly, recommend which grading service tier actually makes sense for a given card’s value, and we buy and sell graded cards regularly, so we know what the market is actually paying — not just what a price guide claims.
If you’ve got a card you’re on the fence about, bring it in. We’ll take a real look, under real lighting, and give you a straight answer about whether how to grade Pokémon cards applies to your specific situation or whether you’d just be throwing money away.
Come by 621 Boll Weevil Cir Ste 32B, Enterprise, AL 36330, or call +1 334-475-4254 to check our hours before you make the trip. We’re open regular hours throughout the week — give us a call, and we’ll confirm the best time to stop in.
Questions We Get Asked Constantly
How much does grading actually cost?
Varies a lot by company and turnaround speed. Budget tiers can run around $15-25 per card with several months’ wait. Faster tiers can run well over $100 per card for a couple of weeks’ turnaround. Bulk submissions sometimes bring per-card costs down.
Can I grade any Pokémon card?
Technically, yes, but practically, it only makes financial sense for cards with real market value. Grading a coin worth a dollar costs more than the card itself.
How long does grading take?
Anywhere from a couple of weeks to several months, entirely dependent on the service tier you choose and the current backlog at the grading company. Wait times fluctuate, sometimes significantly.
What’s the difference between a 9 and a 10?
Usually one small flaw separates the two — slightly imperfect centering, a tiny surface mark invisible to the naked eye but visible under magnification. The jump from a 9 to a 10 is often the hardest grade gap to achieve and the one that affects price the most dramatically.
Should I clean my card before sending it for grading?
Don’t attempt any deep cleaning yourself. A soft microfiber wipe to remove dust is fine. Anything beyond that risks damaging the surface and lowering the grade rather than improving it.
Is a graded card always worth more than a raw one?
Generally, yes, for cards that already carry real value, since the grade verifies condition and authenticity. For lower-value cards, the grading fee can eat up any value gained, so it’s not automatic.
Can grading companies catch a fake card?
Yes, this is actually one of their core jobs. Authentication is part of the grading process, and submitting a fake will get it flagged rather than graded.
Do you grade cards in-store at Weevil Cards & Collectibles?
We don’t do the grading ourselves — that’s handled by independent third-party companies to keep the process unbiased. What we do is help you prepare submissions, choose the right service, and tell you honestly whether a specific card is worth the cost before you spend a dime.
Bottom Line
Learning how to grade Pokémon cards properly comes down to understanding what graders actually look for — centering, corners, edges, surface — and being realistic about whether a specific card’s value justifies the cost. Grading isn’t right for every card, and anyone telling you otherwise is probably more interested in your money than your collection.
If you’ve got a card sitting around that you’re curious about, bring it into Weevil Cards & Collectibles. We’ll look at it honestly and tell you what we’d actually do in your position.
Visit Weevil Cards & Collectibles
🏪 Weevil Cards & Collectibles
📍 621 Boll Weevil Cir Ste 32B, Enterprise, AL 36330, United States
📞 +1 334-475-4254
Stop in with your cards or call ahead to confirm hours. We’ll give you a real, honest read on whether grading makes sense for what you’ve got.
📞 Call Now: +1 334-475-4254