How to Prepare Your Cards for PSA Grading

Getting a high PSA grade starts long before you drop your submission in the mail. Here's what we do — and what you should do — before any card goes to grading.

Clean the surface first

Even light surface dust or fingerprint oils can cost you a subgrade point. Use a soft, lint-free cloth and work in a single direction. Never circular. For deeper scuffs or haze, this is where professional restoration makes a real difference — a clean surface is the single biggest variable under your control.

Inspect under bright raking light

Hold the card at 45 degrees under a direct light source and look across the surface slowly. You'll catch micro-scratches and press lines that are invisible under normal light. If you see them, so will the PSA grader.

Check edges and corners under magnification

Most grade deductions happen at the corners. Even a single touch of whitening on one corner can pull a potential PSA 10 down to an 8. Use a loupe or phone macro lens. If you see fraying or whitening, restoration can often bring those back before submission.

Use perfect-fit inner sleeves

Sleeve the card immediately after any handling. Perfect-fit inners go on first, then a standard sleeve for transport. The goal is zero movement inside the sleeve — any rattling risks new damage.

Let the card rest flat

Never store a card vertically before grading. Lay it flat, sleeved, inside a rigid toploader. Cards that have been stored vertically for extended periods develop a subtle warp that graders will flag.

Ship with real protection

Two toploaders, penny sleeve between them, wrapped in bubble wrap, inside a rigid box. Never a padded envelope alone. Insurance is mandatory — if you wouldn't insure it, reconsider whether it's worth grading.

If you're unsure whether your card is ready, [request a free estimate](/# quote) and we'll give you an honest assessment.