Slabbed / Graded Card

The card has been sent to a grading service (PSA, BGS, SGC, or CGC), authenticated, condition-graded, and encased in a tamper-evident plastic case. The slab cannot be opened without breaking the seal — which destroys the grade.

PSA 10 (Gem Mint) is the highest standard grade PSA assigns. It indicates the card is essentially flawless: perfect centering, sharp corners, clean edges, and pristine surface. PSA 10 is rare for vintage cards and competitively priced for any high-demand modern release.

Usually, yes — grading converts subjective condition assessment into a contractually authenticated grade, which materially reduces buyer risk. The premium scales with grade and rarity: a PSA 10 of a high-demand rookie can be worth several multiples of the raw version of the same card.