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Grade & Crossover Helper

When it comes to grading, collectors often face two questions:

  • Is this raw card worth sending to PSA?
  • Is this slab worth crossing over to another grader?

We created this tool to help you make the best choice for your collection. Start by entering the card name and what it should sell for graded, in both a best case and a worst case. The tool will use this information and weigh it against the current cost of grading. This is not a tool to determine the value of your card, but it should help you weigh whether grading is worth the cost. Need to check centering or size first? See the Card Centering Calculator and Trading Card Size Guide.

Question

About the card

Your read on the card — the tool takes these as given and does the math.

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What it's worth once graded

Look up recent graded sales for this card and enter a high and low. The tool reports both so you can see the range — it never predicts the grade for you.

Best case — grades high

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Worst case — grades low

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Cost to submit

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Defaults reflect PSA's Standard service — $59.99 per card with a 90-to-100-business-day turnaround, plus shipping and insurance both ways. PSA's cheaper Value tiers (including the $25 bulk tier that capped at $500) have been paused since June 2, 2026, so Standard is currently the cheapest option, and the fee climbs with the card's declared value. The $500 floor is the rule of thumb this shop uses — below it, the fee, shipping and a 90-to-100-business-day wait rarely pay off. Adjust any of these to your own numbers. Check current PSA rates ›

How grading costs actually work (2026)

PSA service levels

PSA prices by service level, and each level has a declared-value cap for insurance purposes. You can't use a cheaper tier than your card's insured value allows. As of September 2026, the ladder starts at Standard ($59.99, 90 to 100 business days), then Priority (formerly Regular, $79.99, 70 to 80 business days), with faster and pricier options through Express, Super Express, Premier and the Premium tiers for cards insured above $10,000.

The Value tiers are paused

On May 28, 2026, PSA announced it was pausing all new Value, Value Plus, Value Max and Value Bulk submissions from June 2, 2026 to clear its backlog (projected to take up to four months). The old $25 Value Bulk tier capped a card's insured value at $500, so the cheap path for inexpensive cards is closed for now, which makes grading low-value cards even harder to justify. On September 14, 2026, PSA added the $59.99 Standard tier as a first step toward reopening, but the Value tiers remain paused.

Crossovers

A crossover takes a card already graded by another company and re-holders it with a new grader if it meets the minimum grade you specify. If it won't cross at your minimum, your card is returned in its original holder. Either way, you still pay the grading fee. Since a crossover is priced like a normal submission, risking a failed crossover could result in money spent for nothing.

Grading Decision FAQ

Should I grade a card worth under $500?
Usually no. With PSA's cheap Value tiers paused as of June 2026, the realistic floor to grade a single card is about $60 plus shipping and insurance both ways, and you wait 90 to 100 business days. On an inexpensive card, the grading fee eats most of the upside, so unless a high grade pushes it well past a few hundred dollars, the math rarely works. The $500 rule of thumb is a starting point if your goal is to improve the value of the card.
Is the $500 starting figure a hard rule?
No. However, it is a practical floor that works for many collectors given today's fees and wait times. Feel free to change it. A common-but-pristine card, a personal keeper, or a card you can grade at a cheaper tier may justify a lower floor; a slow-selling card may justify a higher one.
Does this tool tell me what grade my card will get?
No. This tool does not predict a grade or appraise a card. You supply the grade you expect and the price it should fetch (a best case and a worst case). The tool only does the arithmetic against the cost of grading. Its answer is only as good as the numbers you give it.
What does PSA grading cost in 2026?
As of September 2026, PSA's cheapest available tier is Standard at $59.99 per card with a 90-to-100-business-day turnaround, plus shipping and insurance both ways. Priority (formerly Regular) is $79.99 per card with a 70-to-80-business-day turnaround. The Value, Value Plus, Value Max and Value Bulk tiers have been paused for new submissions since June 2, 2026. Fees rise with the card's declared value and with faster service. Always confirm current rates with PSA.
Why are the Value and Bulk tiers gone?
On May 28, 2026, PSA announced it was pausing its four Value service levels from June 2 to work down its large backlog, a process projected to take up to four months. The old $25 Value Bulk tier also capped cards at $500 insured value, so the cheap route for low-value cards is closed for now. PSA's new $59.99 Standard tier is a first step toward reopening, but the Value tiers remain paused. This makes grading inexpensive cards harder to justify.
How does a crossover work?
A crossover submits a card that is already graded by another company. You set a minimum grade you will accept. PSA reviews the card in its current holder. If the card will cross over at your minimum or higher (according to PSA's standards), it is re-slabbed by PSA. If the card does not meet your minimum grade, it is returned in the original holder. You pay the fee either way. Risking a failed crossover can result in money spent for nothing.
Does the grader still charge me if my card does not cross over?
Yes. Crossover is priced like a normal submission and the fee is charged regardless of the outcome. This tool treats a failed crossover as a real cost. In the worst case, you are out the fee and still hold the original slab.
What numbers should I enter for value?
Make sure to use recent sold prices, not asking prices from active listings. For grading, look up what the same card has actually sold for graded. Pull values for your best-case grade and your worst-case grade. For crossover, compare recent sales in the current holder against recent sales in the holder you want.
Does grading guarantee my card goes up in value?
No. A card can come back a grade lower than you hoped, the market can move during a 90-to-100-business-day wait, and condition flaws you missed can cap the grade. The tool always shows the worst case alongside the best case so you can weigh both before you decide.

About this tool. It is a calculator: it does arithmetic on the numbers you enter and the cost assumptions you set. It does not appraise cards, predict grades, or tell you what anything is worth — those values are your own estimates, so the result is only as good as they are. The $500 default is a general rule of thumb, not a guarantee. This is not investment, financial or grading advice, and the tool is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or operated by PSA, SGC, BGS/Beckett or any grading company. Grading fees, turnaround times and policies change — confirm current details with the grader before you submit.

A free tool from T206Cards.com · Centering Calculator · Size & Trimming Check · More collector tools