August grading volume dips 6% as CGC and TAG set records
GemRate counted 3.40 million cards graded in August 2026. PSA slowed, CGC and TAG hit company highs, and one fewer business day explains most of the drop.
By Jamie Budesky · Published September 1, 2026
In short
GemRate's September 1 recap counts 3.40 million cards graded in August 2026, down 6% from July's 3.61 million but up 47% year over year. CGC (937,000) and TAG (58,000) set records; PSA fell 12% to 2.20 million. Per business day, activity was down only 1%, so this is a pause, not a slump.
The August numbers
GemRate's August 2026 Grading Recap, published September 1, 2026, puts total grading activity at 3.40 million cards, down 6% from July and up 47% from August 2025. July was 3.61 million in GemRate's July recap. Here is the split by grader:
| Grader | July 2026 | August 2026 | vs July | vs Aug 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 2.49M | 2.20M | −12% | +32% |
| CGC | 856k | 937k (record) | +9% | +114% |
| Beckett | 161k | 159k | −1% | +147% |
| TAG | 57k | 58k (record) | +2% | +76% |
| SGC | 44k | 42k | −3% | −64% |
| All graders | 3.61M | 3.40M | −6% | +47% |
PSA still graded about two of every three cards GemRate counted in August. The decline is almost entirely a PSA story: PSA's total fell by roughly 290,000 cards while CGC added about 81,000.
Why the drop is smaller than it looks
August had 21 business days and July had 22, according to GemRate. Adjusted for that, total activity was down only 1% per business day. On the same basis PSA was down 8%, while CGC was up 15%, TAG up 7%, Beckett up 3% and SGC up 1%.
Rule: when you compare monthly grading totals, check the business-day count before reading a trend into a single month.
The asterisk on CGC's record
GemRate notes that CGC added about 65,000 semi-rigid AUTH cards to its population report in August, after about 60,000 in July. Those are counted in CGC's totals, so part of the record is authentication volume rather than slabbed grades. TAG's record (58,000) carries no such note.
What it means if you are submitting now
PSA's Value tiers have been paused since June 2, 2026, and PSA's Backlog Tracker put its active backlog at approximately 10.9 million units on August 25. Lower PSA output in August does not change that picture. Our PSA Value pause explainer covers what is open.
- Do not read one month as a turnaround forecast. GemRate counts what graders finished, not what is waiting.
- Compare like with like. Our June record breakdown and May volume note use the same GemRate series.
- Spend fees on the cards that justify them. With waits long at every major grader, a weak card sent today still ties up money for months.
Pre-screen before you pay a grading fee
With every major grader carrying long waits, pick your submissions carefully. CardGrade gives you a photo-based pre-screen of visible condition so you can decide which cards are worth the fee. It is not an official grade, authentication or appraisal, and CardGrade is not affiliated with PSA, BGS, CGC, SGC or TAG. Try a pre-screen
What we could not confirm
- Why PSA's output fell 12%. GemRate reports the numbers, not the cause.
- How much of CGC's August total is slabbed card grading versus the ~65,000 semi-rigid AUTH cards.
- Whether any grader changed prices or tiers because of these figures.
Sources
- GemRate: August 2026 Grading Recap (published September 1, 2026)
- GemRate: July 2026 Grading Recap (published August 3, 2026)
- PSA Backlog Tracker (August 25, 2026 update; June 2, 2026 Value pause)
Frequently asked questions
How many cards were graded in August 2026?
GemRate counted 3.40 million cards graded across PSA, CGC, Beckett, TAG and SGC in August 2026, down 6% from 3.61 million in July and up 47% from August 2025.
Did PSA grade fewer cards in August 2026?
Yes. GemRate counted 2.20 million PSA grades in August, down 12% from 2.49 million in July and up 32% year over year. Per business day, PSA was down 8%.
Did CGC set a grading record in August 2026?
GemRate lists CGC at a record 937,000 cards in August, up 9% from July. GemRate also notes CGC added about 65,000 semi-rigid AUTH cards to its population report that month.
How many cards did TAG grade in August 2026?
GemRate counted 58,000 TAG grades in August 2026, a record for TAG, up 2% from July and 76% year over year.
Why did grading volume drop in August 2026?
Part of it is the calendar. August had 21 business days versus 22 in July, and on a per-business-day basis total activity was down only 1%. Most of the monthly decline came from PSA.