Should I Grade My Trading Cards? A Guide for Australian Collectors

Before you send a card off for grading, ask yourself two questions: Why am I grading it, and what exactly am I grading?

Maybe it’s your favourite AFL card and you’d love to see it in a slab. Maybe it’s a Pokémon card you’re thinking of selling, and you want to know if grading would put more money in your pocket. The same card can lead to a different decision depending on what you want out of it.

1. Why are you grading the card?

I’m grading it for my personal collection

If it’s a card you plan to keep, think about how you want to display it, which slab you like and what you’re happy to spend. A favourite player, a childhood card or a card you pulled yourself can be worth grading even if the resale value barely changes.

If you’d be just as happy displaying it raw in a good holder, that’s a perfectly reasonable outcome too.

I’m grading it to sell

Start with what buyers have actually paid for the exact card. Compare recent raw sales with sales at realistic grades from the grader you’re considering. Then account for the costs you’ll pay under each option, including grading, postage and selling fees where applicable.

A higher sale price in a slab can still leave you with less money after costs. If the numbers only work at the highest grade you’re hoping for, ask yourself whether you’d be happy with the result one grade lower.

I want it authenticated

Work out what you need verified. That might be the card itself, a signature or both. Check that the grader accepts the card and offers the authentication service you need before you submit it.

2. What exactly are you grading?

The sport or game is a starting point. The exact card and its condition are what let you make a decision.

A clean modern Pokémon card, a vintage VFL card with worn corners and a numbered AFL parallel each give you different things to weigh up. Once you know your goal and what you’re holding, you can decide whether grading adds something you actually value.

A real AFL example — Will Ashcroft in a CGA 10

I’ve sold three CGA 10 copies of the 2025 Select Eminence Will Ashcroft card for A$60 each. The sales were on 29 September, 30 September and 7 November 2026, giving the three verified sales a median of A$60.

• If I’m keeping it, I’d decide whether I like the CGA slab and whether the grading cost makes sense for a card I want in my collection.
• If I’m selling it, those three sales give me a starting point for a CGA 10. I’d still check what the same card sells for raw and look for evidence of what a CGA 9 might bring. If lower-grade sales are scarce, I’d treat that price as uncertain when running the numbers.

I’ve had CGA slabs achieve strong sale prices over the years. This is one example where I can point to completed sales and show exactly what buyers paid.

Would you make more selling your card raw or graded?

Use the free Decision Calculator in CardVault Pro to compare what you could keep after costs. Try it at the grade you’re hoping for, then run it again one grade lower.

Open CardVault Tools and select Decision Calculator at the top of the page. It’s available on the free tier.

3. Which card grading company should I use?

Once you’ve decided grading fits your goal, here’s where I’d start.

For a card you plan to keep, choose the option you’ll be happy to own at a price you’re comfortable paying. For a card you plan to sell, choose the option that makes sense at a realistic grade after costs. If selling raw leaves you better off, you’ve got your answer.

If you’re ready to submit, check the GCA submission timetable for availability and timing.

Frequently asked questions

Is it worth grading AFL cards?

It can be. If you’re grading a card for your collection, weigh the cost against how much you’d enjoy owning it slabbed. If you’re selling, look for completed raw and graded sales of the exact AFL card and parallel before you commit.

Should I grade a card if I think it could get a 9?

Compare the net proceeds from selling it raw with what you’d expect at a 9 from the grader you’re considering. If grading still makes sense at that price, you have a stronger case for submitting it. For a personal collection, ask whether you’d be happy owning it at that grade.

Which grader is best for Pokémon cards?

I’d consider BGS for a particularly clean modern Pokémon card and check PSA sales if resale is the main goal. For a card you plan to keep, compare slab preference, grading cost and whether the service suits the card.

Can a CGA-graded card sell well?

Yes. The three Will Ashcroft CGA 10 sales above each reached A$60. When pricing your own card, look for completed CGA sales of the exact variant and grade wherever possible.