For Pokemon card collectors deciding where to send their cards for grading in 2026, the short answer is this: PSA still commands the highest resale premiums for most modern cards, CGC has become the strongest independent option for TCG collectors, SGC offers the best value at just $9 per TCG card with the fastest turnaround, and BGS appeals to collectors who want detailed subgrades and chase the coveted Black Label designation. The right choice depends on whether you prioritize resale value, grading transparency, speed, or cost — and increasingly, whether you care that one parent company now controls three of the four major grading services. That parent company is Collectors Holdings, which acquired PSA in 2021, SGC in February 2024, and announced a deal to purchase Beckett/BGS on December 15, 2025. This consolidation means roughly 80 percent of the grading market’s volume sits under one corporate umbrella.
Congressman Pat Ryan of New York demanded an FTC antitrust investigation on December 19, 2025, though no official action has been confirmed as of early 2026. CGC, owned by Certified Collectibles Group, remains the only major independent grading company left standing. If that landscape concerns you, it should factor into your decision alongside the nuts and bolts of pricing and turnaround times. This article breaks down each grading company’s current pricing, turnaround speed, grading standards, and resale impact. We will also cover the PSA buyback scandal that shook the hobby in 2025, what the Collectors Holdings monopoly means for collectors going forward, and practical advice for choosing the right grading service based on your specific cards and goals.
Table of Contents
- What Are the Key Differences Between PSA, BGS, SGC, and CGC Grading?
- How Does Resale Value Compare Across Grading Companies?
- The PSA Buyback Scandal and What It Means for Collectors
- Which Grading Company Should You Choose for Pokemon Cards?
- The Collectors Holdings Monopoly Problem
- Slab Quality and Display Considerations
- Where the Grading Industry Is Headed in 2026 and Beyond
- Conclusion
- Frequently Asked Questions
What Are the Key Differences Between PSA, BGS, SGC, and CGC Grading?
The four grading companies differ in several fundamental ways beyond just slapping a number on your card. PSA uses a straightforward 1-10 scale with no half-point grades, meaning a card is either a 9 or a 10 with nothing in between. BGS offers half-point grades like the highly sought 9.5 Gold Label, plus four subgrades for centering, edges, corners, and surface that let you see exactly where a card gained or lost points. SGC uses a similar 1-10 scale without half grades, while CGC does offer half-point grades like BGS. For pokemon collectors specifically, the difference between a 9 and a 9.5 can represent hundreds or even thousands of dollars on chase cards like a base set Charizard, making the half-grade distinction more than academic. Pricing varies significantly. As of February 2026, PSA’s cheapest option is $24.99 per card at the Value Bulk tier, which recently jumped from $19.99.
SGC charges just $9 per TCG card and $15 for sports cards, with no upcharges based on declared value. CGC’s bulk pricing starts at $15 per card with a 25-card minimum, while their standard tier rose to $55 from $45 as of January 6, 2026. BGS uses flat pricing regardless of card value, which is a genuine advantage if you are submitting high-value cards that other companies would surcharge. Turnaround times tell an equally important story. SGC leads the pack with standard turnaround currently running about 7 business days and express options of just 1-2 business days. PSA’s Value Bulk tier — the one most collectors use — takes 65 to 95 business days, meaning you could wait nearly five months to get your cards back. CGC’s economy tier sits at roughly 40 business days, which is actually faster than PSA’s equivalent tier. If you have time-sensitive submissions, perhaps a card spiking in value due to a tournament result or a new set release, SGC’s speed is unmatched.
How Does Resale Value Compare Across Grading Companies?
This is where most collectors’ decisions ultimately land, and PSA still holds a clear edge in raw resale premiums. A PSA 10 on a popular modern Pokemon card will generally sell for more than the same card graded a 10 by any other company. This premium exists because PSA has been around since 1991, has the largest population reports, and dominates market recognition. When a buyer on eBay searches for a graded card, PSA labels are what they expect to see, and that familiarity translates directly into higher closing prices. However, this advantage is not universal and has been eroding in certain segments. SGC-graded cards typically sell for 15 to 20 percent less than PSA equivalents, which means that if your PSA 10 would sell for $100, the same card in an SGC slab might bring $80 to $85.
For many collectors submitting cards worth under $50, that gap is eaten up entirely by PSA’s higher grading fees and longer wait times. If you are grading a stack of $20 to $30 Pokemon cards, paying $9 through SGC instead of $24.99 through PSA and getting your cards back in a week instead of three months can make SGC the better financial play despite the resale discount. BGS occupies an interesting niche. A standard BGS 9.5 often sells for less than a PSA 10, even though a 9.5 arguably represents a higher grading standard. But a BGS Black Label — where all four subgrades are perfect 10s — can command premiums that rival or exceed PSA 10 prices. The Black Label is rare enough that it functions as a chase grade, and serious Pokemon card investors specifically target them for high-end vintage and modern hits. CGC’s resale values still trail PSA on most cards, but the gap has been narrowing, particularly in the TCG space where CGC has built a strong reputation for consistent, strict grading standards.
The PSA Buyback Scandal and What It Means for Collectors
In 2025, allegations surfaced that PSA had downgraded customer-submitted cards, purchased them at the lower grade’s market value, and then relisted those same certification numbers as higher grades. One reported case involved a batch of 30 cards graded PSA 9, which were repurchased and subsequently appeared as PSA 10s under the same cert numbers. PSA characterized the situation as a “one-off grading error,” but the response from the collecting community was swift and severe. Multiple card dealers and shows suspended PSA submissions entirely in the aftermath. The scandal dealt a real blow to PSA’s credibility at a time when trust is the single most important asset a grading company can have. The entire business model depends on collectors believing that grades are assigned objectively and consistently.
When that trust fractures, it ripples through the market. CGC was the primary beneficiary, gaining market share as collectors looked for alternatives. For Pokemon card collectors specifically, CGC was already well-positioned in the TCG space, and the scandal accelerated a trend that was already underway. Whether this scandal represents a systemic problem or a genuine isolated mistake is something each collector has to weigh for themselves. What is not debatable is that it happened, that PSA’s response did not satisfy many in the hobby, and that it coincided with PSA raising prices yet again. The combination of higher costs, longer wait times, and a trust deficit has created the most competitive grading landscape in years, which is arguably good for collectors even if the circumstances that produced it are troubling.
Which Grading Company Should You Choose for Pokemon Cards?
The answer depends on what you are grading and why. For modern Pokemon chase cards that you plan to sell — your Illustrator Rares, Special Art Rares, and high-value pulls — PSA still makes the most financial sense despite its drawbacks. The resale premium on a PSA 10 for a card like an Umbreon VMAX Alternate Art can be $50 to $100 more than the same grade from another company, which more than offsets the higher grading fee. You are paying for the label’s market dominance, and that premium remains real. For bulk grading of mid-range modern cards, SGC at $9 per TCG card is hard to beat. If you pulled 50 cards from the latest set that you think are gem mint candidates, spending $450 at SGC versus $1,250 at PSA is a meaningful difference, and you will have your cards back in about a week instead of potentially waiting until summer.
The 15 to 20 percent resale discount on SGC slabs matters less when the cards themselves are worth $15 to $40 each. For vintage Pokemon cards from the base set, Jungle, or Fossil era, SGC’s “tuxedo” black-insert slab has developed a genuine following among display collectors, and SGC has built the strongest reputation of any company for pre-1970s vintage grading that carries over to early Pokemon as well. CGC deserves serious consideration for TCG collectors in 2026. Their grading standards are widely considered the strictest and most consistent of the four companies, their slabs use ultra-clear plastic that showcases card art well, and they are the only major grading company not owned by Collectors Holdings. If the consolidation trend bothers you, or if you value grading consistency over brand-name resale premiums, CGC is the logical choice. BGS makes the most sense for collectors chasing the Black Label designation on high-end cards or those who want the transparency of subgrades showing exactly how a card performed in each category.
The Collectors Holdings Monopoly Problem
The elephant in the room for the entire grading industry is that Collectors Holdings now owns or is acquiring PSA, SGC, and BGS. When one company controls approximately 80 percent of the grading market’s volume, the competitive dynamics that keep prices reasonable and service quality high begin to erode. PSA has already raised its Value Bulk pricing from $19.99 to $24.99 in early 2026, with all value and regular tiers increasing by $5. Whether those increases would have happened in a more competitive market is a fair question. The practical concern for collectors is straightforward: if the same parent company sets pricing and policies for three of four major grading services, there is less incentive to compete aggressively on price, turnaround time, or service quality.
SGC’s current $9 TCG pricing and fast turnaround times are among the best in the hobby, but there is no guarantee those will persist under Collectors Holdings’ ownership. Congressman Pat Ryan’s call for an FTC investigation reflects genuine anxiety in the collecting community, though regulatory action in this space is unprecedented and uncertain. For now, the practical implication is that CGC’s independence has become a selling point in itself. Some collectors are making submissions to CGC specifically to support the only remaining independent alternative, even when PSA might offer a slight resale advantage. This is a personal calculus each collector has to make. The hobby functions best with multiple competitive grading companies pushing each other to improve, and the current trajectory threatens that dynamic regardless of what Collectors Holdings says about maintaining separate operations.
Slab Quality and Display Considerations
Beyond grades and prices, the physical slabs themselves vary in ways that matter to collectors who display their cards. BGS slabs are the thickest and sturdiest of the four, offering the most physical protection but also taking up the most space in display cases and storage boxes. PSA slabs are lightweight and compact, which makes them easy to ship and store in bulk. SGC’s tuxedo slab with its black inner insert has become genuinely popular for display purposes, particularly for vintage cards where the dark background creates a striking visual contrast.
CGC uses ultra-clear plastic that many collectors consider the best for showcasing card art, especially on Pokemon cards with detailed illustrations. If you are building a display collection rather than a resale portfolio, slab aesthetics might matter more than brand-name resale premiums. A wall of SGC tuxedo slabs or CGC crystal-clear cases can look better than a wall of PSA slabs, even if the PSA versions would fetch slightly more on the secondary market. This is entirely subjective, but it is worth handling slabs from each company before committing to large submissions.
Where the Grading Industry Is Headed in 2026 and Beyond
The grading industry is at an inflection point. The Collectors Holdings consolidation, the PSA buyback scandal, and rising prices across the board are pushing collectors to reevaluate assumptions that have held steady for years. CGC’s growth in the TCG space suggests that the market can support a strong alternative to PSA, especially when that alternative offers strict grading standards and corporate independence. Whether the FTC takes action on the Collectors Holdings acquisitions could reshape the entire landscape, but collectors should not make decisions based on regulatory outcomes that may never materialize.
The most likely near-term development is continued price increases across all grading companies, particularly at PSA and eventually at SGC as Collectors Holdings aligns its pricing strategies. Collectors who have large backlogs of cards to submit may want to lock in current SGC and CGC pricing sooner rather than later. The hobby is also seeing growth in international grading options and newer domestic companies, though none have achieved the market recognition needed to seriously challenge the established four. For Pokemon card collectors, the best approach remains practical: match your grading company to your specific cards, goals, and budget rather than defaulting to any single service out of habit.
Conclusion
Choosing between PSA, BGS, SGC, and CGC in 2026 requires weighing trade-offs that did not exist even two years ago. PSA still offers the highest resale premiums for most cards but comes with the highest prices, longest budget-tier turnaround times, and a trust deficit from the 2025 buyback scandal. SGC delivers the best combination of price and speed at $9 per TCG card with week-long turnarounds, though its slabs carry a 15 to 20 percent resale discount. BGS provides unmatched grading transparency through subgrades and the chase-worthy Black Label designation.
CGC has emerged as the strongest option for collectors who value strict grading consistency and want to support the only major independent company left in the market. The Collectors Holdings consolidation looming over PSA, SGC, and BGS adds a dimension to this decision that goes beyond individual card economics. Collectors who care about the long-term health of the hobby should be paying attention to how this plays out, whether through regulatory action or market dynamics. In the meantime, the practical advice is simple: use PSA for high-value modern cards where resale premium justifies the cost, SGC for budget submissions and vintage cards, CGC for TCG-focused collections and when independence matters to you, and BGS when you want subgrades or are chasing Black Labels. There is no single best grading company — only the best grading company for your specific situation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is PSA grading still worth it in 2026 after the buyback scandal?
For high-value cards where the resale premium matters, yes. A PSA 10 on a desirable Pokemon card still commands the highest market price of any grading company’s label. However, if you are grading mid-range cards worth $15 to $40, the $24.99 fee and months-long turnaround at budget tiers make SGC or CGC more practical choices. The scandal is worth monitoring but has not fundamentally changed PSA’s market position yet.
Why does SGC charge only $9 for TCG cards when PSA charges $24.99?
SGC has historically competed on price and speed rather than brand-name premium. Their $9 TCG pricing and $15 sports card pricing with no value-based upcharges makes them the most affordable major grading service. The trade-off is that SGC-graded cards sell for roughly 15 to 20 percent less than PSA equivalents, so the savings on grading fees may be offset by lower resale values on expensive cards.
Does CGC grade Pokemon cards the same way they grade comics?
CGC Cards is a division of Certified Collectibles Group, the same parent company that grades comics, coins, and magazines. While the parent company’s experience in authentication and grading carries over, the card grading operation launched in 2020 and uses standards specific to trading cards. CGC has built a particularly strong reputation in the TCG space for Pokemon, Magic: The Gathering, and One Piece cards.
What is a BGS Black Label and why does it matter?
A BGS Black Label means a card received perfect 10s in all four subgrade categories: centering, edges, corners, and surface. It is extremely rare and commands premiums that can rival or exceed PSA 10 prices. For high-end Pokemon cards, a Black Label designation signals a truly flawless card and is considered by many collectors to be the most prestigious grade available from any company.
Should I worry about Collectors Holdings owning PSA, SGC, and BGS?
It is a legitimate concern. With one company controlling roughly 80 percent of grading volume, there is reduced competitive pressure to keep prices low and service quality high. PSA already raised prices by $5 across multiple tiers in early 2026. Whether this leads to further price increases or service changes at SGC and BGS remains to be seen. Supporting CGC as the independent alternative is one way collectors can help maintain competitive balance.
How long does each grading company take to return cards?
At budget tiers, SGC is the fastest at approximately 7 business days standard and 1-2 days express. CGC’s economy tier takes about 40 business days. PSA’s Value Bulk tier runs 65 to 95 business days, making it the slowest at comparable price points. BGS turnaround varies and has been inconsistent due to leadership changes. If speed is your priority, SGC is the clear winner.
