Grading is often done by card collectors to determine the value of their cards and make the buying/selling process smoother, but it can be costly. This includes looking at the rarity and condition of the card to come to a conclusion—but how does grading affect the value of Pokémon cards USA?
At Get Graded, we are dedicated to grading cards for everyone. We use a trusted grading system to make the process easier, offer fast turnaround, and competitive pricing for collectors in the USA and beyond.
What Does It Mean to Grade a Pokémon Card?
If you are asking yourself, ‘how does grading affect the value of Pokémon cards USA’, but don’t know what it means to get a card graded, maybe we should start there. Grading essentially means sending your Pokémon (or any collector’s card) to a professional (like us) to analyse and evaluate. We will assign a numerical grade to it based on the card’s condition, authenticate the card, and place it in a slab for protection.
Getting a card graded ensures authenticity and means that it will be easier to sell, but not every card needs to be graded!
Graded vs Ungraded: Are Graded Cards Worth More?
So, how does grading affect the value of Pokémon cards USA? Getting your Pokémon card graded can increase its value because the assessment is objective, and all forms of damage are taken into account. When a card gets graded, it will also be authenticated and be given a protective sleeve to prevent damage—both of which improve and maintain value.
A graded card will increase buyer confidence if you are planning to sell your cards for some extra money, meaning that making sales will be more straightforward, and you won’t need to convince anyone of the quality of the card.
What Affects the Final Grade (and Value)?
The condition and rarity of the card are the two main factors that impact the final grade and value of a Pokémon card. These will be closely assessed when grading, but you should know the basics of what to look for so that you can decide if you want to send your cards off for grading in the first place.
The Condition of the Card
The condition of the card is crucial when determining how much it is worth, with cards in better conditions generally worth much more money than those in poor conditions. Depending on the level of damage, a card could be completely worthless, or it could be worth a small fortune!
Although it is preferable for the card to be in mint condition, there have been instances of even ‘very good’ graded cards being worth a lot of money. However, this will definitely not be the case for just any card, so go above and beyond when taking care of and preserving your cards!
Below are key signs of damage to look out for when inspecting your cards:
- Scratches
- Water damage
- Bending in the structure
- Whitened borders
- Any stamps
- Planarity (if it lies flat on a table)
- Any tampering with the borders
- Clouding (colours are dulled)
- Discolouration from any source
- Any other visible damage
It’s important to remember that if you want to do some at-home grading to get a starting point, you need to be very harsh on your analysis. There will be damage that you don’t see, and always give yourself a worse grade than you think if you are trying to determine whether the card is worth sending off for professional grading or not.
Numeric Grading | Also Known As | Card Condition |
10 | Gem Mint | Flawless under magnification |
9.5 | Mint+ | One barely noticeable flaw |
9 | Mint | Near perfect with tiny edge or centring issues |
8 | Near Mint | Slight wear, minor scuffs |
7 | Excellent | Noticeable edge/corner imperfections |
6 | Very Good | Minor surface scratches, whitening |
5 | Very Good | Small creases or dullness |
4 | Good | Multiple signs of play or damage |
3 | Fair | Significant wear or bending |
2 | Poor | Creases, ink marks, or tears |
1 | Authentic/Poor | Confirmed authentic but heavily damaged |
The Rarity of the Card
The rarity of the card plays a huge role in how much it will be worth. Generally, a no rarity or common card will be worth little to nothing (unless it’s a Charizard!). The rarer a card is, the more collectors will be willing to pay for it—because we all know the laws of supply and demand.
Half of the fun with collecting cards is the excitement of not knowing what you are going to get. You might open a pack to find a shiny one worth thousands, or you can collect common after common and not bother grading them.
Below are the basic rarity symbols to be aware of:
- Black circle – common card
- Black diamond – uncommon card
- Black star – rare card
- Black star with “PROMO” – promo card
- Two black stars – double rare (Scarlet & Violet Pokémon TCG Expansion)
- Two silver stars – ultra-rare (Scarlet & Violet Pokémon TCG Expansion)
- One gold star – illustration rare (Scarlet & Violet Pokémon TCG Expansion)
- Two gold stars – special illustration rare (Scarlet & Violet Pokémon TCG Expansion)
Three gold stars – hyper rare (Scarlet & Violet Pokémon TCG Expansion)
What Are Some Examples of High-Value Graded Pokémon Cards?
There are plenty of popular and high-value Pokémon cards out in the world, especially when you factor into the equation that some editions and designs only had a handful of copies ever created. For example, there are only 39 1998 Pokémon Japanese Promo Illustrator cards out there—and there is no telling how many of them have been accidentally destroyed or damaged!
With that being said, some of the most popular Pokémon cards are Charizard. Not only 1st Edition, or other special editions or rarities, but even a no rarity Charizard!
Popular, high-value cards:
- 1st Edition Shadowless Charizard
- 1st Edition Charizard
- 1st Edition Blastoise
- 1st Edition Venusaur
- Bronze Pikachu No. 3 Trainer Trophy Card
- University Magikarp Card
- No Rarity Charizard
- Master’s Key
If you are looking for examples of (extremely) lucrative Pokémon card sales over the years, you might be surprised to learn that the top sale was completed at over $5 million just a few years ago! However, there are lots of high-value Pokémon cards out there, so always be on the lookout for limited editions and Charizard!
Top 10 most expensive Pokémon cards sold:
- Test Print Blastoise Gold Border (1998) ($216,000)
- Ishihara GX Black Star Promo (2017) ($247,230)
- Snap Pikachu (1999) ($270,000)
- Pikachu No. 3 Trainer Bronze Trophy Card (1997) ($300,000)
- Signed Charizard (1996; no rarity symbol) ($324,000)
- Blastoise Wizards of the Coast Presentation Galaxy Star Holo (1998) ($360,000)
- First Edition Shadowless Holographic Charizard #4 (1999) ($420,000)
- Trophy Pikachu Silver 2nd Tournament Card (1998) ($444,000)
- Charizard Topsun Blue Black (1997) ($493,230)
- Illustrator Pikachu (1998) ($5.275 million)
Why US Collectors Are Choosing Get Graded
When selling a Pokémon card (especially a rare one), buyers will generally prefer that the card is graded to avoid any confusion or deceit in the sales process. Because grading must be done by professionals, it adds not only value, but trust to the process, and disallows the seller to be dishonest with their descriptions and listings.
So, how does grading affect the value of Pokémon cards USA? Grading will increase the value of a good card, provide protection, and make the selling process much quicker and easier—but grading doesn’t only apply to anyone who is looking to sell their cards. Getting your personal collection graded for protection and nostalgia are just as valid.
Want to boost your Pokémon card value? Submit your cards to Get Graded for trusted, expert grading accepted by collectors across the USA. Or, find out about our shop or service pricing, population report, or CERT checker, and create an account or find your nearest store now.