PSA's budget Value tiers remain paused in October 2026, while a new $59.99 Standard tier gives collectors their first direct PSA option under $80 since June. Low-value Pokémon submissions face the tightest squeeze, with the return of cheap bulk waiting on PSA cutting its backlog to about 5 million cards.
Card grading means an independent company authenticates a card, assigns a 1-10 condition grade, seals it in a holder, and tracks it in a population report. That grade often sets resale value, so submission price, turnaround time, and insured-value limit decide whether grading a common pull makes financial sense. Pokémon dominates that calculation now, with 97 of PSA's 100 most-graded cards in the first half of 2025 coming from Pokémon, according to GemRate data reported by High Roller Sports Cards.
Table of Contents
- Where PSA stands in October 2026
- Why Pokémon collectors feel it most
- What bulk options are open now
- What should you do with October submissions
Where PSA stands in October 2026
PSA paused new submissions for Value Bulk, Value, Value Plus, and Value Max effective June 2, 2026, according to PSA's May 2026 service update. The company cited a backlog rapidly approaching 10 million cards and said the pause would protect cards already in custody. PSA then opened a new Standard tier on September 14 at $59.99 per card, with 90-100 business days turnaround and a $1,000 maximum insured value, according to ICv2's October 2026 report.
That tier matters because it restored a sub-$80 direct path after the Value pause. PSA has said the paused Value tiers will not return until the active backlog falls to about 5 million cards. The backlog stood at about 9-9.9 million in late September 2026, down from a near-14 million peak after a post-investment submission surge, according to Heavy's September 22 backlog update.
Why Pokémon collectors feel it most
Pokémon supplies most of the volume behind the backlog. TCG and non-sports cards were 59% of submissions across major graders, and about 26.8 million cards were graded in 2025, according to GemRate data reported by High Roller Sports Cards. That mix hits low-value Pokémon submitters hardest.
A $15 raw card cannot absorb a $60 grading fee plus shipping and insurance, while a higher-value chase card still can. Bulk tiers existed for that exact lower tier of cards. The practical result is a waiting game for modern bulk. Collectors holding common hits, bulk ultra-rares, and lower-condition vintage must either pay more per card, switch graders, or hold raw cards until PSA Value returns.
What bulk options are open now
CGC Cards Bulk was the cheapest widely open alternative in late August-September 2026 at $17 per card with a 25-card minimum and about a 150-working-day estimate, according to Heavy. Beckett Base was $14.95 without subgrades when available, but availability has been unstable. Beckett briefly reopened card submissions September 15-16, 2026 through a temporary online form while Beckett.com and its app stayed offline, according to PreGradeCards.
Beckett then closed Base and Standard tiers again September 25 to process existing orders and expand capacity, according to Heavy. By October 2026, SGC cost $50 per card, according to PreGradeCards. That left CGC Bulk as the only open bulk option under about $60 and pushed low-value Pokémon submitters toward CGC or waiting. Collectors, parent of PSA and SGC, entered a definitive agreement to acquire Beckett on December 15, 2025, with Beckett to remain an independent brand with its own operations, grading standards, and no deal-driven pricing change, according to Figoca reporting the Collectors announcement.
What should you do with October submissions
Match the card value to the tier, not the grader name. Higher-value cards fit PSA Standard's $1,000 insured-value cap and 90-100 business-day window.
True bulk fits CGC Bulk's 25-card minimum if you accept the longer wait. Watch PSA's active backlog against the 5 million threshold before expecting Value tiers to reopen. The September decline from near 14 million to under 10 million shows progress, but late-September volume remained nearly double the reopening target.
- Check insured value first: use Standard only for cards under the $1,000 limit.
- Count the minimum: CGC Bulk needs 25 cards to qualify at the $17 rate.
- Compare resale: PSA, SGC, CGC, and Beckett prices differ, especially for modern Pokémon.
- Hold marginal cards raw: sorting, sleeving, and tracking condition now saves resubmission later.
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