Should You Get Your Damaged Cards Graded? The Truth.

The short answer is no, it is generally not worth submitting damaged trading cards to professional grading services. While there are rare exceptions, in most cases the costs outweigh any potential value added for flawed cards. You‘re better off selling damaged cards raw or in auction lots.

Let‘s delve into the details on why grading damaged cards rarely makes financial sense for collectors.

Card Grading Overview – A Value Boost for Pristine Cards

Trading card grading is a service provided by companies like PSA, BGS and SGC that entails professionally:

• Authenticating cards
• Assessing condition
• Encapsulating cards in sonically sealed plastic cases
• Assigning numeric grades from 1 to 10

This process aims to confirm authenticity, condition, and grade for trading cards. Grading is extremely popular for vintage cards and modern hits.

Here‘s a breakdown of what the grades mean:

Key Benefits of Grading:

• Verification of authenticity and grade
• Preservation & protection in sealed casing
• Potential financial value increase, especially for grade 8+ cards
• Enhanced prestige and collector appeal
• Improved liquidity – easier to buy and sell

There‘s no question grading offers advantages for collectors. However, we only see meaningful added value for cards graded PSA 8 or higher. The reason is simple – high grade pristine cards drive demand.

Grading Companies Set High Bars for Flawed Cards

To achieve the minimum grade from PSA, BGS or SGC, cards cannot exhibit any noticeable imperfections like:

• Visible corner wear
• Scratching on the surface
• Frayed or damaged edges
• Staining or discoloration
• Major printing defects

PSA‘s lowest "passing" grade is a 1, reserved for cards with "major creases, stains, corner damage". BGS has an equivalent 1.5 grade for cards with "heavy wear, staining, creases".

So if your card has any clearly visible flaws, there is little to no chance of achieving these minimum viable grades. This critical point alone means damaged cards are largely excluded from the benefits of professional grading.

Low Grade Damaged Cards (PSA 1-4) See Minimal Value Boost

While PSA and BGS grading offers the advantage of authenticating damaged cards, it does not boost value substantially over raw copies.

Let‘s examine the data:

As the sales above show, graded damaged cards (PSA/BGS 1-4) only sell for up to 2x what a raw damaged copy sells for – often less of a bump.

Not to mention you have grading fees ranging from $10 to $100+ per card. Add in shipping, insurance and membership costs and you can easily spend more on grading a damaged card than the value added from the low numeric grade.

The reality most collectors seek high-grade cards. This leaves PSA/BGS 1-4 graded damaged cards as undesirable with minimal demand. Grading them simply won‘t return any significant premium over raw copies.

Grading for Authentication Has Limited Upside on Damaged Cards

One potential reason to grade a damaged trading card is for authentication. This is mainly applicable to vintage cards where forgeries are a real concern.

However, keep in mind that even when graded primarily for authentication, the card will likely come back with a label like "Authentic Only", "Qualified" or "Authentic Altered" rather than a numeric grade.

According to Joe Orlando, PSA Head Grader:

"Cards with extreme damage often receive special label designations that indicate it is too flawed to provide an accurate numeric grade. These still authenticate the card but don‘t add a condition census."

So while grading can verify authenticity on damaged cards from an authority like PSA, it still won‘t boost financial value given the limited grading qualifier.

I‘d only recommend grading a damaged vintage card if it‘s the highlight of a high value set and authentication is critically important. Even then, raw copies with strong provenance often satisfy most buyers.

Collector Interest in Low-Grade Cards is Weak

Let‘s face it – while flawed cards have historical significance, collector demand goes hand in hand with condition and eye appeal.

Cards exhibiting creases, fraying, stains or markings simply don‘t display well. As PWCC Marketplace Director of Business Development Jesse Craig puts it:

"While every trading card tells a story through its flaws, serious buyers want cards that are aesthetically pleasing above all else."

Trading card lore is filled with tales of rare cards ruined by kids putting them in the spokes of their bicycles. But at the end of the day, high grade specimens are what drive collectors to pay premium prices.

Grading Costs Often Outweigh Minimal Gains

Let‘s run some numbers. To grade a modern card, you‘ll pay $20 or more per card at PSA or BGS when factoring in membership and shipping. For vintage cards, fees often exceed $100 per card.

Given the data, flawed cards graded PSA/BGS 1-4 only sell for up to 2x a raw copy in similar condition. After deducting grading fees, you may end up breaking even or potentially losing money.

I‘d argue the juice isn‘t worth the squeeze on grading damaged low-grade cards in virtually all normal scenarios. Those grading dollars are better spent on submitting clean, high-grade cards.

Alternatives to Grading Damaged Cards

Rather than grading flawed cards and sinking money into miniscule gains, here are some alternative options worth considering:

• Sell raw – List damaged cards on marketplaces as-is for buyers seeking budget fillers. No grading required.

• Auction in lots – Group damaged cards into auction lots organized by era or set. Cost effective way to liquidate.

• Hold for potential re-grading – If damage isn‘t severe, hold onto ultra rare cards in case grading companies update standards.

• Crack and press – Remove from grading case, professionally press to flatten, then re-submit seeking a higher grade.

• Submit only for authentication – For potentially altered super rare vintage cards, verify authenticity but don‘t waste money targeting a numeric grade.

• Donate – If all else fails, you can donate flawed rare cards to museums or other institutions happy to own them for historical significance.

Key Takeaways – Think Twice Before Grading Flawed Cards

• Grading damaged cards rarely increases value substantially over selling raw copies

• Minimum grading standards mean flaws prevent low numeric grades

• PSA/BGS 1-4 grades offer negligible value premiums over raw copies

• High grading costs can easily outweigh any value added from low grades

• Serious collectors seek high grade cards; flawed cards have limited demand

• For modern cards, selling raw is often your best financial option

• For vintage, consider alternatives like pressing, authentication-only, donating

The bottom line – think very critically before sinking money into grading damaged cards. While there are occasional exceptions, in most cases, your odds of significantly increasing value are extremely slim.

As a collector, your hard-earned grading dollars are better spent on submitting only your cleanest, best condition cards. Damaged cards are usually better off being sold in raw form.

I hope this detailed breakdown empowers you to make wise choices on what damaged cards to pay to grade. Feel free to reach out with any other questions!