Online marketplace eBay recently announced a partnership with leading trading card grading company PSA, which will allow collectors to have eligible ‘raw’ cards graded with PSA, when sent as part of eBay’s Authenticity Guarantee program.
This new integration will cut down on multiple shipping steps, which previously involved cards being sent to PSA through the AG program, shipped to buyers, then returned to PSA for grading.
It should reduce costs for collectors, and streamline the grading process.
eBay introduced the Authenticity Guarantee program for trading cards in 2022, following its success with other collectibles. Under the program, eligible cards (valued at $250 or more) can be sent to PSA for authentication before being shipped to the buyer.
Now, buyers can also opt to have the card graded, before it’s shipped to them.
More key details on the collaboration have now been confirmed by eBay, including pricing, autograph policies, and grading procedures.
Pricing
They’ve revealed that the service will align with PSA’s pricing structure, based on card value, ranging from Value Plus at $39.99 per card to Premium 10, which is priced at $10,000 per card.
PSA’s TCG Bulk, Value Bulk, Value, and Value Max tiers are notably excluded from the offering.
Further Details
eBay also provided clarification on condition guidelines for raw trading cards:
Sellers are required to include a condition description when listing raw cards, but while terms like Near Mint, Excellent, Very Good, or Poor may reflect PSA’s grading language, these descriptions do not guarantee any specific grade.
“These guidelines only apply to the raw or ungraded condition of the item and do not pertain to the final grade, which is determined by a professional grading service,” eBay explained in a statement.
The company added that the policy does not apply to evaluating autographs, stamps, or any inking on the card. Sellers must clearly note any damage or defects in their item descriptions. As per eBay’s guidelines, the card’s condition is based on its most significant flaw.
They also emphasized that no grades are assured once cards pass the Authenticity Guarantee (AG) process, and they uphold PSA’s grading standards.
If a card does not pass the AG check, it will be returned to the seller, and the buyer will receive a full refund.
Pack-pulled autograph cards are eligible for grading, but dual authentication (auto grades) and after-market autos are not currently part of the program.
Collectors opting for this service won’t need a PSA account but will be able to track their orders through various stages—such as “Grading Started,” “Grading Completed,” and “Shipped” (including a tracking number)—on their eBay accounts.
Collectors with a PSA account can link their progress to it if they use the same email for both accounts.
Right now, the option is only available to buyers in the US.
