Getting a card graded turns an unverified piece of cardboard into a sealed, authenticated, sellable asset. For Indian collectors the process has a few extra steps — international shipping and customs — but it is very doable. Here is how it works.
Step 1: Decide if a card is worth grading
Grading costs money and time, so it only makes sense if the graded card will be worth meaningfully more than the raw card plus the grading fee. As a rough rule, grade a card only if it is genuinely near-mint and the raw version is worth at least a few thousand rupees, or if it has strong sentimental value.
Step 2: Choose a grading company
PSA, BGS, and CGC all accept international submissions. PSA gives the best resale value; CGC is often faster and cheaper; BGS is favoured for modern high-end cards. See our separate guide comparing the three.
Step 3: Understand the costs
Grading is priced in US dollars and depends on the declared value of the card and how fast you want it back. Budget tiers start lower; high-value cards cost much more to grade. On top of the grading fee you pay:
- International shipping both ways — this is often the biggest cost for Indian submitters.
- Customs duty when the slab returns to India.
- Insurance on the parcel, strongly recommended.
Because shipping and customs are largely fixed per parcel, it is far more economical to grade several cards in one submission than to send them one at a time.
Step 4: Use a group submission or middleman
Many Indian collectors do not ship directly. Instead they use a group submission — a trusted person or community that collects cards from many collectors, ships them together, and returns them. This splits the shipping and customs cost across everyone and removes the hassle of dealing with international couriers yourself. Look for established group submitters with a track record before handing over valuable cards.
Step 5: Prepare your cards
- Put each card in a penny sleeve, then a semi-rigid card holder.
- Never use tape or rubber bands directly on the card.
- Do not clean or wipe the card — you can cause scratches that lower the grade.
- Photograph each card front and back before sending, for your own records.
Step 6: Timelines
Plan for weeks to a few months end to end: transit to the grader, the grading queue itself, and the return journey through customs. Faster service tiers exist but cost significantly more. Do not grade a card you need to sell next week.
Step 7: After grading — selling
Once your card comes back in its slab with a cert number, it is ready to sell. On GradedBazaar you list the cert number, grader, and grade; we verify it; and buyers pay through escrow so both sides are protected. A graded card with a verifiable cert sells faster and for more than the same card raw.