How to Prep Your Sports Cards for Professional Grading: A Fort Worth Collector's Guide

Sending cards to PSA, Beckett, or SGC can be nerve-wracking, but proper preparation can be the difference between a 9 and a 10. For Fort Worth collectors, here is the golden rule: never submit a raw card without a meticulous review.

First, invest in a jeweler's loupe to inspect edges and corners. Modern chrome cards often have faint print lines or dimples that are invisible to the naked eye.

Second, always wipe the surface of your cards with a clean microfiber cloth. Fingerprints and residual wax can ding your surface subgrade and derail a perfect score.

Finally, use standard penny sleeves and rigid card savers — not standard top loaders — for submissions. This ensures graders can safely cut the plastic to remove the card without damaging the edges.

Not sure a card is worth submitting? Bring it by the shop for an honest read before you spend on grading.