The whole language of the grading world explained clearly. Look up the terms, or link directly to a single definition if you need it for a guide, a listing or an article.
A professional assessment of a card's condition against a fixed scale, after which the card is sealed in a protective plastic case with a grade and certificate number.
The sealed plastic case containing the card. Used informally to refer to a graded card, as in 'a PSA 10 slab'.
An ungraded card. The opposite of a slab.
A company that receives your cards, submits them to the grading company on your behalf and returns the finished slabs. Handles shipping, customs, insurance and account setup for the collector.
The unique certificate number on the slab. Can be looked up in the grading company's database to verify that the slab is genuine and matches the card shown.
The step where the card is sealed into the slab after the grade has been assigned.
The time it takes from the grading company receiving the card to it being shipped back. Measured in business days and varies by service tier.
The pricing level at the grading company. A higher tier gives faster turnaround and covers a higher card value.
The value you declare for the card. Determines which tier you need and what insurance cover applies.
An extra fee charged if a card's actual market value exceeds the limit for the chosen tier. PSA charges upcharges; BGS and CGC do not work the same way.
Submitting many cards at once, typically at a lower price per card and with a longer turnaround.
Sending an existing slab to a different grading company to have it re-graded into their case, often only accepted if a minimum grade is achieved.
Submitting an already graded card again in the hope of a higher grade.
Breaking open a slab and removing the card, typically before a regrade or crossover.
Public statistics from the grading company showing how many copies of a specific card have been graded at each grade. Used to assess rarity.
The share of submitted copies of a card that achieve the top grade. A low gem rate means the card is hard to get in perfect condition.
PSA's top grade. The card appears virtually perfect, with sharp corners, a clean surface and near-perfect centering.
A very sharp card with a single minor flaw, such as slight off-centering or a nearly invisible edge flaw.
BGS's component grades for centering, corners, edges and surface. Gives buyers full transparency on why a card received its overall grade.
BGS Pristine 10 where all four sub-grades are 10. The most sought-after modern slab and typically the most expensive on the secondary market.
An older, retired CGC designation for the top grade, still seen on earlier slabs. CGC's current top grade is Pristine 10.
A half grade such as 8.5. PSA uses half grades from 1.5 to 8.5 but not 9.5. BGS and CGC also use half grades.
An addition to the grade that explains a single defect, such as OC (off-center), ST (staining), MK (marks) or PD (print defect).
The card is genuine but has been altered, for example trimmed, coloured or cleaned. It receives no numeric grade.
How evenly the artwork is positioned relative to the borders, measured as a ratio between margins. The most common reason a card misses the top grade.
White wear marks along edges or corners, typically from handling or from the factory cutting process itself.
A factory defect in the form of a thin line in the print. Counts as a surface flaw.
The card's surface: scratches, fingerprints, print defects and gloss all factor into the assessment.
A semi-rigid holder that grading companies require cards to be submitted in. Protects the card without squeezing it, and makes it easy to remove without damage.
A thin, soft plastic sleeve the card is placed in before going into a card saver.
A rigid plastic holder used for storage. Suitable for transporting ungraded cards, but not used for the actual grading submission.
A small resealable bag that keeps the card saver dust-free and closed during transport.
Tracking of the parcel the whole way. Standard on all our shipments to and from the grading company.
Shipping where the card's declared value is covered in the event of loss or damage. At Slabbed.eu insurance is optional and priced per started 1,000 of declared value, shown in the calculator.
The shipment of the finished slabs back to you. A fixed fee per submission, sent tracked.
A comparable sale. An actual sale of the same card in the same grade, used to establish price.
A completed sale on a marketplace. More representative of value than asking prices.
The price difference between two grades of the same card, for example between PSA 9 and PSA 10. Large spreads make grading financially attractive.
The increase in the number of graded copies over time. A fast-growing population can push down the price of top grades.
Unopened product such as booster packs, display boxes and elite trainer boxes.
A single loose card, as opposed to sealed product.
Older Pokémon sets, typically from the WOTC era between 1999 and 2003.
Newer sets printed by The Pokémon Company International. Higher factory quality and therefore more top grades.
Cards printed for the Japanese market. Often better centering and sharper cutting than Western prints, which makes them popular for grading.
Cards released outside the regular sets, for example through events, campaigns or bundled products.
The first print run of a set, marked with a stamp. Typically the most expensive print of a vintage card.
An early Base Set print without a shadow along the artwork frame. Rarer than the standard print.
When the holo pattern spills beyond the artwork frame. A sought-after printing quirk on certain cards.
Professional Sports Authenticator. The world's largest grading company by volume. Uses a 1-10 scale with half grades from 1.5 to 8.5 (but not 9.5), and its slabs typically command the strongest secondary market.
Beckett Grading Services. Known for sub-grades and the Black Label 10. An active service at Slabbed.eu.
Certified Guaranty Company. Started with comic books and is now big in trading cards, especially Japanese cards, with fast turnaround times.
Technical Authentication & Grading. Uses computer vision and provides a detailed digital report of every individual flaw on the card.
Sportscard Guaranty Company. Popular for vintage sports cards and, to a lesser extent, Pokémon.
You are welcome to cite the definitions with attribution to Slabbed.eu and a link to this page. If you are missing a term, email hello@slabbed.eu. See also our price index and press room.
