The process for crossing a CGC 7.5 Metagross to BGS involves submitting your card in its CGC slab directly to Beckett Grading Services for re-evaluation, but the specific step-by-step procedure and current fees are not comprehensively documented in publicly available sources. Unlike CGC, which explicitly publishes a “Cross at Any Grade” option allowing collectors to submit cards already graded by other companies, BGS has not released equivalent detailed documentation about their crossover submission process. If you have a CGC 7.5 graded Metagross card, you would need to contact BGS directly to confirm their current procedures for accepting and evaluating cards that are already encapsulated in competing grading company slabs.
The crossover process itself refers to the practice of having a card re-graded by a different grading company while it remains in or is removed from its original slab. For your CGC 7.5 Metagross, this would mean sending it to BGS so they can assess the card’s condition using their own grading standards and encapsulate it in a BGS holder if they accept the submission. The primary reason collectors pursue this is to capitalize on perceived differences in how the two companies assess card quality, hoping to achieve a higher or more desirable grade.
Table of Contents
- Understanding the Differences Between CGC and BGS Grading Standards
- The Financial Risk of No Grade Guarantee
- How Card Crossing Physically Works
- Contacting BGS and Understanding Their Submission Requirements
- The Grade Downgrade Scenario and How to Evaluate the Risk
- Alternative Strategies to Crossing for Metagross Cards
- The Evolving Landscape of Cross-Grading in Pokemon
- Conclusion
Understanding the Differences Between CGC and BGS Grading Standards
BGS (Beckett Grading Services) and CGC (Certified Guaranty Company) employ different methodologies when evaluating card condition, which is the fundamental reason why crossing becomes relevant for collectors. BGS is historically known for stricter centering standards—the way the image is positioned within the card borders. In documented comparisons, BGS has been observed to penalize off-center cards more aggressively than CGC. For example, research on grading comparisons has shown instances where BGS assigned a 7.5 centering score to a card that CGC had graded an 8.0, indicating that the same card would likely receive different numeric grades from each company.
These divergent standards mean that your CGC 7.5 Metagross might be graded differently by BGS. The card could potentially receive a higher grade if BGS’s criteria are more lenient in the specific areas where your card excels, or it could receive a lower grade if BGS penalizes centering issues more heavily. This variability is the core appeal of crossing for some collectors, but it also introduces significant financial risk. Before pursuing a cross-grade, understanding these grading philosophy differences is essential to managing expectations about what BGS might assign to your card.
The Financial Risk of No Grade Guarantee
One of the most critical realities of crossing a card between grading services is that there is no guarantee your CGC 7.5 Metagross will maintain its grade with BGS. In fact, it could receive a lower grade, which would negatively impact the card’s resale value and potentially result in a net financial loss once you account for bgs submission fees. This is not speculation—documented discussions in the collector community have confirmed that cards crossing between services can receive downgrades. A collector who sends in a CGC 7.5 card hoping for a BGS 8.0 might instead receive a BGS 7.0, transforming what they believed was an upgrade opportunity into a value-destructive decision.
The financial implications are substantial. If your Metagross is worth $300 in a CGC 7.5 holder, and BGS downgrades it to a 6.5, the card’s value could drop to $150 or less, depending on the market. You would then be responsible for submission fees that BGS charges, effectively doubling your loss. This is why many serious collectors only pursue cross-grading when they have strong evidence that their specific card will be assessed more favorably by the target company. Without that confidence, the risk of downgrade outweighs the potential upside.
How Card Crossing Physically Works
When submitting a card for crossing at BGS, you have options regarding whether the card remains in its original CGC slab or is removed for fresh evaluation. CGC has publicly documented that they can inspect and grade cards while they remain in BGS slabs without cracking them open—a non-destructive evaluation process. However, the reverse capability has not been publicly confirmed; there is no documented evidence that BGS offers similar non-destructive inspection and grading of cards already in CGC slabs. This means that to have your CGC 7.5 Metagross graded by BGS, the card would likely need to be removed from its CGC enclosure.
This introduces an additional layer of risk and handling that must be considered. A card that has been in a protective slab since grading has been preserved under controlled conditions. Removing it, transporting it to BGS, and having it re-evaluated involves exposure to environmental changes, handling by technicians, and the possibility of incidental wear or damage during the process. While professional graders handle cards with appropriate care, any additional handling beyond its original grading introduces some level of risk.
Contacting BGS and Understanding Their Submission Requirements
Because BGS does not maintain comprehensive public documentation about their crossover process specifically, contacting BGS directly is the only reliable way to obtain accurate information about submitting your CGC 7.5 Metagross. You can reach out to Beckett Grading Services through their official website or customer service channels to inquire about their current procedures for accepting cards graded by competing companies, their timeline for such submissions, and the fees involved.
When you contact BGS, be prepared to ask several specific questions: Do they accept cards in CGC slabs for re-grading? Do they crack the card out of the CGC enclosure, or do they evaluate it in the slab? What is their turnaround time for crossover submissions? Are crossover submissions treated differently than fresh submissions in terms of fee structure? What grade guarantee, if any, do they provide? These answers will allow you to make an informed decision about whether pursuing the cross-grade is worthwhile for your particular card. BGS’s customer service team can provide you with current submission forms, shipping instructions, and fee information specific to your situation.
The Grade Downgrade Scenario and How to Evaluate the Risk
Before sending your CGC 7.5 Metagross to BGS, honestly assess the likelihood that the card will maintain or improve its grade. Study examples of similar Metagross cards across both grading companies to understand how BGS has historically assessed this specific card in the past. Look for high-resolution images of BGS-graded Metagross cards at the same or lower grades to calibrate your expectations. If BGS seems to grade Metagross cards more strictly than CGC in general, or if your card exhibits centering issues that you suspect BGS would penalize, the risk of downgrade increases substantially.
The financial downside of a downgrade scenario should be your primary concern. Create a simple cost-benefit analysis: What would you gain if the card upgrades one full grade? Subtract the BGS submission fee and any incidental costs. Then, what would you lose if the card downgrades one full grade? For many CGC 7.5 cards, the potential loss from a downgrade exceeds the potential gain from an upgrade, which is a strong signal to avoid crossing. This is especially true for mid-tier cards where the value difference between consecutive grades is smaller. Reserve crossing as a strategy only when you have confidence based on documented evidence that BGS would assess your card more favorably.
Alternative Strategies to Crossing for Metagross Cards
Rather than crossing immediately, consider whether a simple resale of your CGC 7.5 Metagross in its current state might be your best option. There are collectors and dealers who specifically seek CGC-graded Pokemon cards, and the CGC market is established and liquid. Selling your card as-is avoids the risk of downgrade, eliminates BGS submission fees, and puts cash in your hand immediately.
This is particularly sensible if the monetary gain from a potential BGS upgrade is marginal—say, the difference between $300 and $350. Alternatively, if you remain convinced that BGS would favor your card, you could wait for BGS’s documentation about crossover procedures to improve and become more transparent. The Pokemon grading landscape is evolving, and as companies compete for collector business, they may eventually clarify their crossover processes more thoroughly. In the interim, you lose no value by holding your CGC 7.5 Metagross, and you preserve the option to cross-grade later if circumstances change or if you gain more confidence in the outcome.
The Evolving Landscape of Cross-Grading in Pokemon
Cross-grading has become an established practice in the trading card market, but the process remains fragmented and opaque, particularly when crossing to BGS. As Pokemon card collecting has matured and values have stabilized at higher levels, collector demand for clear, standardized procedures has grown. BGS and other grading companies may eventually publish more detailed crossover guidelines as they recognize the market opportunity and collector interest in this service. Forward-thinking collectors should stay informed about any updates to BGS’s published procedures or fees related to crossover submissions.
The broader trend in the industry is toward increased transparency and standardization. CGC’s explicit “Cross at Any Grade” documentation is a step in that direction, signaling that companies are willing to compete on the crossover process. As BGS responds to collector demand and market competition, their procedures may become clearer and more accessible. For now, the reality is that crossing a CGC card to BGS remains an individualized process that requires direct communication with BGS rather than following a publicly documented pathway.
Conclusion
Crossing a CGC 7.5 Metagross to BGS is technically possible, but the specific process is not comprehensively documented by BGS, requiring you to contact the company directly for current procedures, fees, and timelines. The critical decision is not how to cross, but whether you should cross at all—and that hinges on your assessment of the financial risk.
Given that there is no guarantee of maintaining or improving your grade, and the possibility of downgrade is real, crossing only makes sense if you have strong evidence that BGS would assess your specific card more favorably than CGC did. Before reaching out to BGS, conduct thorough research on how Metagross cards have fared historically under BGS’s grading standards, honestly evaluate your card’s condition against both companies’ criteria, and perform a cost-benefit analysis that accounts for submission fees and potential downside risk. For many collectors, the safest path is to resale the card in its CGC 7.5 holder rather than risk the financial consequences of a cross-grade that results in a lower assessment.
