FAQs

Grading is when a professional company authenticates your card, assesses its condition (centring, corners, edges and surface), gives it a grade, usually from 1 to 10, and seals it in a tamper-proof case.

We handle the submission, shipping and return. The grading itself is done only by PSA, Beckett or CGC.

All three grading companies operate from the United States. We act as a middleman, managing the preparation, shipping, tracking and return of your cards between you and the grader. We're independent and not owned by any grading company.

Each grading company must be submitted as a separate order for clarity, tracking and insurance purposes.

Grading confirms your card is authentic, gives buyers confidence in its condition, protects it in a sealed case and gives it a standardised grade the whole market recognises. A good grade often adds value, but grading can't guarantee what a card will be worth in future.

1. Choose your cards and pick a grader and service level.

2. Place your order on our order portal and pay at checkout. You'll get an order number and shipping instructions.

3. Put each card in a penny sleeve and a semi-rigid holder, and pack them securely.

4. Post your parcel with your order number inside, or drop it off at our office or a show.

5. We'll email you once your cards are checked in.

Please don't send cards without ordering first.

Yes. EU customers can use our European Hub, which handles EU shipping, customs and local returns. If you're outside the UK and EU, please contact us before submitting.

Yes. Orders over £300 can be paid with Klarna, subject to Klarna's approval and terms. Your agreement is with Klarna, and missed Klarna payments are treated as non-payment under our Terms of Service.

You can change or cancel your order up until your cards are submitted to the grader. After that, the order is final and non-refundable.

Choosing the right service level is your responsibility, and we don't review or change it for you. If PSA or CGC decide a card's graded value is above your tier's maximum, they move it to the correct tier and apply a value charge (upcharge), which we pass on to you. Cards are held until the charge is paid.

Your insurance is also based on your service level's maximum value, so an under-declared card may be under-insured.

Yes. Submit a slabbed card as it is and we'll crack it out safely and prepare it for grading. If you're unhappy with a grade, we can also crack the slab and resubmit the card.

Slab cracking costs £5 per slab. It isn't charged on the order portal: once we've received and cracked your slabs, we'll send you a separate payment request. The old slab and label are disposed of and aren't returned.

Put each card in a penny sleeve inside a semi-rigid holder such as a Card Saver I, and send it tracked. Please don't use screw-down holders, magnetic cases or top loaders, as they increase the risk of damage and rejection.

Only once we've opened your parcel and checked the contents in to our system. A "delivered" tracking update isn't enough on its own. You'll get an email confirming check-in.

Yes, from the moment they're checked in. Standard cover is the maximum declared value of the service level you choose, and it applies while your cards are with us, in transit to and from the grader and at the grader. Every submission travels to the graders with Malca-Amit secure logistics, fully insured in transit.

Need more? Add Enhanced Cover when you order. It costs 2.5% of the value you want covered and applies while your card is with us and in transit to and from the grader. While your card is at the grader, cover stays at the service level's maximum declared value.

On the way back to you, your cards are covered up to the limit of the return option you choose: £1,000 with Royal Mail Special Delivery, £2,500 with Special Delivery and ID check, or the full declared value (up to £40,000) with Malca-Amit secure courier. Anything above that limit isn't insured, and Enhanced Cover only applies to the return if you choose Malca-Amit.

Cards aren't covered on the way to us, so please follow our packaging guidance and use a tracked service.

Malca-Amit is a specialist secure logistics company. Jewellers, banks and auction houses use them to move diamonds, gold and fine art around the world.

Every submission we send to PSA, Beckett and CGC travels with Malca-Amit, fully insured in transit and handled through their secure network rather than a normal parcel service. You can also choose Malca-Amit secure courier to send your graded cards home, which we recommend for high-value orders.

Usually not. Cards travel under temporary import and export arrangements, and we handle customs as an authorised dealer. Customs authorities can occasionally apply charges or delays, and these may be passed on to you.

We aim to ship within 2 weeks of receiving your cards for core services. Non-core services ship at the start of each month, which keeps them cheaper.

You choose your return option when you order. Royal Mail Special Delivery is covered up to £1,000. Royal Mail Special Delivery with ID check is covered up to £2,500. Malca-Amit secure courier is covered up to the full declared value of your cards, up to £40,000. Prices are on our pricing page.

Your cards are only insured up to the limit of the option you pick. If you send £10,000 of cards and choose Special Delivery, £9,000 of them is uninsured on the way back, so always choose an option that covers the full value of your order.

EU orders are returned from our European Hub by PostNL, DPD or Malca-Amit secure courier.

Anywhere from a few weeks to several months, depending on the grader and service. A typical journey looks like this:

Processing at BLG: up to 2 weeks · Shipping to the grader: 1 to 3 weeks · Grading: see the turnaround on our pricing page · Shipping back to BLG: 1 to 3 weeks · Back to you: around 5 to 7 working days after they reach us.

All timings are estimates. We can't control grader backlogs, customs holds or courier delays, and delays don't entitle you to a refund once your cards have been submitted.

Log in to your account on our order portal. PSA and CGC orders update automatically through their systems, and we update Beckett orders ourselves. We'll also email you at key stages.

Graders can reject a card for authenticity concerns, alterations such as trimming or recolouring, damage, or misidentification. The card comes back in its original state. Grading fees aren't refundable and return shipping may apply.

Only the grading company decides grades, labels and authentication. We can't influence or review them, so any dispute or regrade request has to go to the grader directly.