When you read about a card that sold for millions, there is almost always something like PSA 10 or BGS 9 next to it. That isn't a serial number - it is a condition grade set by an independent grading company, and it is one of the biggest factors in what a card is worth.
How it works: you send the card to a grading company, an expert examines it under magnification and gives it a score between 1 and 10. Four things are checked: the corners (sharp or rounded), the edges (wear, white showing through), the centring (does the image sit in the middle with even borders) and the surface (scratches, fingerprints, print dots). After the review the card is sealed in a rigid plastic holder with a label and a serial number you can verify on the company's site.
The three leading companies are PSA, the largest and best known; BGS (Beckett), which also gives sub-grades and is especially strict; and SGC, which has grown in recent years and is relatively fast. For most modern cards, PSA is the choice that produces the highest resale price, simply because more buyers are looking for it.
And here is the part that surprises beginners: the difference between a 9 and a 10 is not ten percent in price. On sought-after cards, a PSA 10 can be worth three times, five times and sometimes ten times the same card in PSA 9. The reason is that collectors are paying for certainty: a card in a holder with a perfect grade needs no negotiation about its condition. Even a relatively low grade - like the PSA 5 Kobe Bryant that sold for $3.15 million - is worth more than an ungraded card in the same condition, because its condition is documented.
When is grading worth it? A rule of thumb: if the card is worth at least a few hundred shekels ungraded, and looks excellent to you, grading will probably pay for itself. Rookie cards of stars, numbered cards and autographs are the natural candidates. An ordinary card from a pack, even a perfect one, usually won't justify the cost of grading and shipping.
And how do you do it from Israel? You can send directly to PSA in the United States, but you have to deal with insured shipping both ways, customs, and waits of weeks to months depending on the service level. Many collectors here prefer to combine a shipment with other collectors or go through a shop. If you have a card you are unsure about, write to us on the customer support page - we're happy to give an opinion before you pay for grading.