CGC and BGS employ fundamentally different grading standards and evaluation criteria, which is why a card receiving a CGC 1 often receives a lower grade—or fails to achieve a grade at all—when submitted to BGS. The primary reason lies in how each company weights factors like centering, surface quality, and corner wear. CGC uses a 1-10 scale with more generous thresholds at the lower grades, while BGS traditionally has stricter standards and may reject cards below certain quality minimums.
Umbreon cards, particularly popular first editions from the Jungle set, frequently expose these grading differences because the set’s print quality and centering issues make high grades difficult to achieve across both services. When a CGC 1-graded Umbreon card is submitted to BGS, collectors often report receiving either no grade at all (labeled “No Grade” or NG) or being assigned a much lower subgrades in areas like centering or surface. This gap reflects not a flaw in CGC’s assessment, but rather two companies using different standards to measure the same card. Understanding these differences is critical for collectors investing in high-value Umbreon cards, as the choice between CGC and BGS grading can affect both collectibility and resale value significantly.
Table of Contents
- How Different Grading Standards Create Grade Discrepancies
- Specific Grading Criteria Where BGS and CGC Diverge
- The Umbreon Card Case Study: Why First Edition Jungle Exemplifies This Problem
- What This Means for Collectors Evaluating Umbreon Cards
- Common Centering and Print Quality Issues That Trigger Grade Drops
- Market Value Impact of Cross-Company Grade Discrepancies
- The Future of Cross-Company Grading Standards
- Conclusion
- Frequently Asked Questions
How Different Grading Standards Create Grade Discrepancies
Each major grading company—cgc, bgs, and PSA—operates with its own internal rubric for what constitutes each grade level. CGC’s scale allows for more variation within each grade band, particularly at the lower end. A card with significant centering issues, visible print spots, or light wear might still receive a CGC 1 (Poor condition) if it’s authentic and doesn’t have major structural damage. BGS, historically known for stricter grading, has different tolerance thresholds; the same card might be deemed ungradeworthy or would receive subgrades that don’t match the overall numerical score in the same way.
This becomes especially pronounced with first edition Jungle set Umbreon cards, which frequently suffer from manufacturing inconsistencies. Factory centering problems, slight print lines, and uneven ink coverage were common in this era. CGC may grade these as a 1, accepting the manufacturing limitations as part of the card’s condition, while BGS might flag them as inconsistent with its grading standards. The practical result is that submitting a CGC 1 Umbreon to BGS can yield disappointing results—either an even lower grade or a refusal to grade the card at all.
Specific Grading Criteria Where BGS and CGC Diverge
Centering stands as one of the most visible areas where CGC and BGS disagree. CGC’s 1 grade tolerates significant left-right and top-bottom centering shifts, sometimes 40/60 or worse. BGS requires centering to fall within stricter parameters; a card that’s extremely off-center might not meet BGS’s minimum standards for grading, even at its lowest tiers. This is not a small issue—centering problems are arguably the most common defect in vintage Jungle Umbreon cards, and it’s where the grade gap most frequently appears.
Surface quality assessment also differs meaningfully. BGS examines surface wear, print spots, and ink imperfections with a more critical eye. A CGC 1 Umbreon might have light print spotting or surface scuffing that BGS would view more harshly, particularly if the defects appear across multiple areas of the card’s surface. Additionally, BGS has historically been stricter about what it will grade at all—if a card falls below its minimum acceptance threshold, it returns as NG rather than receiving a low numerical grade. This is a critical limitation collectors face: a CGC 1 card may be entirely ungradeworthy at BGS, making any comparison or conversion impossible.
The Umbreon Card Case Study: Why First Edition Jungle Exemplifies This Problem
Umbreon from the Jungle set (first edition) has become a benchmark case for understanding grading discrepancies, partly because of its popularity and partly because Jungle set print quality was notoriously inconsistent. Many first edition Umbreon cards show visible print lines, uneven black ink coverage on the back, and centering that ranges from slightly off to dramatically skewed. These defects were endemic to the set, not indicative of poor storage or mishandling. When collectors submit CGC 1 or CGC 2 Umbreon cards to BGS for a potential upgrade or cross-authentication, the Jungle print quality issues often work against them.
BGS evaluates the card against its standards without accounting for era-specific manufacturing problems. A card with heavy print lines or ink inconsistencies that CGC accepts as “Poor” becomes a problem for BGS’s evaluation. The result is a no-grade return roughly 30-40% of the time, according to collector reports across major forums. Even when BGS does grade these cards, the numerical grade often drops by two to three points compared to the CGC assessment.
What This Means for Collectors Evaluating Umbreon Cards
For collectors considering purchasing a CGC-graded Umbreon card, the grading company matters far more than it does for modern cards or other vintage sets with better print consistency. A CGC 1 Umbreon is significantly cheaper than a CGC 3 or 4, but its resale potential depends heavily on whether buyers will accept CGC grading or specifically want BGS authentication. If you’re building a collection that might eventually be sold to BGS-preferring collectors, a CGC 1 Umbreon could be difficult to move, even at a discount.
The practical tradeoff is simple: CGC grading of lower-quality Umbreleon cards is more obtainable and less expensive than attempting to grade the same card at BGS, which may reject it outright. However, this also means the card’s market depth—the number of interested buyers—is smaller. A serious collector seeking a CGC 1 Umbreon should expect limited resale options compared to higher grades or cards graded by BGS. Additionally, if your goal is to eventually cross the card over to BGS for authentication, it’s worth understanding that a CGC grade does not guarantee BGS will cooperate or provide a comparable grade.
Common Centering and Print Quality Issues That Trigger Grade Drops
Centering is the leading cause of grade drops when CGC 1 Umbreleon cards are submitted to BGS. Jungle-era cards with back print that shifts noticeably left or right often trigger the biggest problems. BGS may view a 35/65 or 30/70 centering split as ungradeworthy, while CGC simply factors it into the 1 grade. This is important to understand before submitting—if you can see that your CGC 1 Umbreon has obvious centering issues, expect BGS to either decline the card or assign a lower grade with poor centering subgrades. Print lines and ink inconsistencies pose another hidden risk.
These defects, common in Jungle Umbreon cards, are frequently more visible in person than in holder images. When BGS receives the card, in-hand inspection may reveal print lines or ink spots that were less obvious in photos. This discovery often triggers a grade reduction or no-grade return. A warning for collectors: do not assume that because CGC graded a card, BGS will grade it at a comparable level. The companies use different lighting, magnification, and evaluation standards, and print quality issues sometimes look worse in-hand than they do in photographs.
Market Value Impact of Cross-Company Grade Discrepancies
The financial impact of this grading gap is substantial. A CGC 1 first edition Umbreon might sell for $40-80, depending on the subgrades and market conditions. That same card submitted to BGS and receiving a no-grade or BGS 1 effectively becomes worthless for graded market purposes, though it retains value as a raw card.
This represents a complete loss on the grading and submission fees, which can range from $100-300 for expedited cross-company submissions. For collectors holding CGC 1 Umbreleon cards, this gap also affects portfolio strategy. If you’re accumulating first edition Jungle cards as a long-term collectible asset, a CGC 1 Umbreon is more vulnerable to market shifts if BGS becomes the preferred standard. Diversifying across grading companies at higher grades (3+) reduces this risk, but at the lower grades, the discrepancy means CGC cards are inherently more speculative and potentially less liquid.
The Future of Cross-Company Grading Standards
As the grading market matures and collectors demand more consistency, the gap between CGC and BGS standards may eventually narrow, but it’s unlikely to close entirely for cards with manufacturing issues like those in Jungle Umbreon. Each company has invested significantly in their brand positioning—BGS as the stricter standard, CGC as more accessible—and changing these perceptions would require major shifts in their grading philosophy.
The best long-term strategy for collectors is to accept that these differences exist and plan accordingly. If you’re investing in lower-grade Umbreon cards, CGC may be the practical choice because it’s more likely to grade the card. If you’re aiming for BGS authentication specifically, budget for potential rejections and be prepared to invest in higher-quality examples where manufacturing issues are less pronounced.
Conclusion
CGC and BGS grade cards according to different standards, and Umbreon cards—particularly first edition Jungle editions with print quality issues—expose these differences dramatically. A CGC 1 grade does not translate predictably to a BGS grade because the two companies weight centering, surface quality, and print consistency differently. For CGC 1 Umbreon submissions to BGS, expect either a no-grade return or a substantial grade drop, typically by 2-3 points.
Understanding this gap is essential for anyone investing in CGC-graded Umbreon cards or considering cross-submissions. Accept the grading company’s assessment as valid within its own system rather than expecting universal equivalence. If BGS grading is important to your collecting goals, prioritize higher-quality raw Umbreon cards before submission, or choose to grade exclusively with CGC and build your collection around its standards.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I resubmit a CGC 1 Umbreon to BGS if I get a no-grade back?
Yes, you can resubmit, but the card’s condition hasn’t changed, so you may receive the same result. No-grades typically indicate the card falls below BGS’s acceptance threshold, so resubmission won’t resolve the underlying quality issue.
Is a CGC 1 Umbreon card still valuable?
Yes, it retains value as an authentic first edition Jungle Umbreon, but the graded market for CGC 1s is smaller than for higher grades. Raw card values or CGC-specific collector communities provide better resale options than attempting to sell it as a BGS crossover.
Why does BGS reject some cards that CGC grades?
BGS has historically maintained stricter minimum standards for what qualifies as gradeable. Some cards, particularly those with extreme centering issues or pervasive print quality problems, fall below BGS’s acceptance threshold entirely.
Should I avoid CGC grading for my Umbreon cards?
Not necessarily. CGC grading is appropriate if you’re building a CGC-focused collection or if the card’s condition makes BGS grading unlikely. Just understand that you’re operating within CGC’s ecosystem and plan your long-term collecting strategy accordingly.
How common are grade drops when submitting CGC Umbreleon to BGS?
For CGC 1 and 2 Umbreon cards, expect a 60-70% chance of either a grade drop of 2+ points or a no-grade return, based on collector reports. Higher CGC grades (3+) have better odds of consistent BGS grading.
Does the Umbreon card’s print quality affect the grade gap?
Significantly. Umbreon cards with visible print lines, heavy ink inconsistencies, or extreme centering issues are much more likely to experience grade drops or rejections at BGS.
