How to Prepare Cards for Grading Submission | CardGrade.io
Tips & Tricks
How to Prepare Cards for Grading Submission
Proper preparation protects your cards and maximizes grades. Learn the step-by-step process for cleaning, sleeving, and packaging cards for PSA, BGS, or CGC.
CardGrade.io Editorial·Published Feb 21, 2026 · Updated Feb 26, 2026·12 min read
Why Card Preparation Matters
The gap between pulling a card from your collection and having it graded by PSA, BGS, or CGC is where grades are won or lost. A card that looks like a 10 in your hand can arrive at the grading company as a 9 if it picks up a surface scratch during shipping or gets an edge ding from a poorly packed box.
Proper preparation protects your investment. This guide walks through every step of the process, from cleaning and handling to sleeving, packaging, and filling out submission forms. Follow these steps and you eliminate the variables that turn potential gem mints into near mints.
Step 1: Pre-Screen Your Cards
Before investing time and money in preparation and submission, make sure the cards you plan to grade are actually worth grading. This is the step most collectors skip, and it is the step that saves the most money.
Self-Evaluation
Inspect each card across all four grading criteria:
After your manual inspection, run your top candidates through CardGrade.io for AI-predicted grades. The AI analyzes 47 inspection points and predicts grades for PSA, BGS, and CGC simultaneously. Cards that score poorly in the AI analysis should be reconsidered, even if they looked good to your eye.
Sign up for free to get 3 credits and start pre-screening before you commit to a submission.
Step 2: Set Up a Clean Workspace
Your workspace directly affects your cards. A dusty table or a stray crumb can create the kind of surface damage that drops grades.
Workspace Requirements
Clean, flat, hard surface: A clean desk or table. Avoid surfaces with texture that could press into cards
Good lighting: A bright LED desk lamp positioned to cast light across the work area. You need to see dust and debris
Lint-free cloth or microfiber mat: Place this under your work area. It catches dust and provides a soft landing for cards
Clean, lint-free gloves: Cotton or nitrile gloves prevent fingerprint oils from transferring to card surfaces
No food, drinks, or pets: Keep everything that could contaminate cards out of the workspace
Supplies You Will Need
Supply
Purpose
Approximate Cost
Penny sleeves (new, clean)
Initial card protection
$0.02-$0.03 each
Card Saver 1 semi-rigid holders
Preferred by PSA; protects during transit
$0.20-$0.30 each
Top-loaders (for BGS/CGC)
Alternative holders accepted by BGS and CGC
$0.15-$0.25 each
Team bags or resealable bags
Sealing holders against dust
$0.03-$0.05 each
Microfiber cloth
Gentle surface cleaning
$3-$5
Compressed air (canned)
Removing dust and debris
$5-$8
Small shipping box
Fits your submission snugly
$2-$5
Bubble wrap or packing material
Prevents movement during shipping
$3-$5
Blue painter's tape
Securing cards in holders (easy to remove)
$3-$5
Rubber bands (for securing stacks, NOT touching cards)
Bundling Card Saver stacks together
$1-$2
Step 3: Cleaning Your Cards
Cleaning is about removing dust, loose debris, and minor surface contaminants. It is NOT about removing scratches, stains, or other permanent defects. Attempting to "fix" a card's condition is considered alteration by grading companies and can result in your card being flagged or rejected.
What You Can Clean
Dust and loose particles: Use a quick burst of compressed air from 6-8 inches away. Do not use prolonged blasts, which can force debris into the card surface
Light fingerprint oils: Gently wipe with a clean, dry microfiber cloth using minimal pressure. One light pass, not repeated scrubbing
Debris on the surface: If a small particle is stuck to the surface, try compressed air first. If that fails, use a very soft brush (like a clean, new makeup brush) with the lightest possible touch
What You Must NOT Do
Do not use water, cleaning solutions, or alcohol on cards. These can damage the ink, warp the cardboard, or leave residue
Do not use erasers to remove marks or stains. This is considered alteration
Do not attempt to flatten bent or warped cards with heat, weight, or pressing. This is alteration
Do not trim edges to remove chips or imperfections. This is fraud and will result in a permanent ban from grading companies
Do not use adhesives to reattach peeling layers or repair tears
Card Cleaning Best Practices
Put on clean gloves before handling any cards
Hold the card by its edges only
Use a short burst of compressed air to remove any visible dust
If needed, one gentle pass with a clean microfiber cloth
Immediately sleeve the card after cleaning
Step 4: Sleeving and Carding
The order in which you sleeve and card matters. Done incorrectly, this step itself can cause edge or surface damage.
For PSA Submissions (Card Saver 1)
PSA strongly prefers cards in Card Saver 1 semi-rigid holders. Here is the correct process:
Insert the card into a new penny sleeve. Slide the card in gently, top-first. Do not force it. The sleeve should be slightly larger than the card
Ensure the card is fully seated in the penny sleeve with no edges exposed
Slide the sleeved card into the Card Saver 1. Insert it gently and straight. Do not bend or flex the Card Saver during insertion
Verify the card sits flat inside the Card Saver with no bunching of the penny sleeve
Do not use top-loaders for PSA submissions. PSA specifically recommends Card Saver 1 holders because they allow the grading team to remove cards without the pressure and friction that top-loader removal requires.
For BGS Submissions
BGS accepts both Card Saver 1 holders and top-loaders, but their preference is Card Saver 1:
Follow the same sleeving process as PSA
If using top-loaders, use a standard 35pt top-loader for regular cards (adjust for thicker cards)
Place a piece of blue painter's tape across the top opening to prevent the card from sliding out, but do not let the tape contact the card or penny sleeve
For CGC Submissions
CGC also accepts Card Saver 1 holders and top-loaders:
Follow the same sleeving process
CGC does not have a strong preference between holder types, but Card Saver 1 is generally the safest option for transit
Common Sleeving Mistakes
Using old or scratched penny sleeves: Always use new sleeves. Old sleeves can have micro-abrasions that scratch card surfaces
Forcing cards into too-tight sleeves: If the sleeve is a tight fit, it will scrape the edges during insertion. Use standard-sized sleeves that allow the card to slide in with minimal resistance
Double-sleeving unnecessarily: Unless specifically required, one penny sleeve is sufficient. Double-sleeving can create pressure points
Sleeve orientation: Insert cards so the opening of the penny sleeve faces the closed end of the Card Saver or top-loader. This prevents the card from sliding out of the sleeve
Step 5: Organizing and Labeling
Once all cards are sleeved and carded, organize them to match your submission form:
Number each Card Saver with a small label or piece of tape on the top (not touching the card). Match these numbers to your submission form line items
Group by declared value tier if submitting to different service levels
Stack Card Savers together and secure the stack with a rubber band around the outside of the bundle. The rubber band goes around the Card Savers, NEVER touching the cards themselves
Place the stack in a team bag or resealable plastic bag for additional dust protection
Step 6: Filling Out Submission Forms
Each grading company has its own submission form. Accuracy here prevents delays and potential upcharges.
General Tips for All Companies
Fill out forms online when possible. PSA, BGS, and CGC all offer online submission systems that reduce errors
Declare values honestly: Under-declaring can result in upcharges if the graded value exceeds your declared value. Over-declaring wastes money on a higher service tier
Double-check card identification: Ensure the year, set, card number, and player/character name are correct for each card
Select the correct card type: Sports, Pokemon, Yu-Gi-Oh, Magic, etc. Getting this wrong can delay processing
Print a copy of your form and include it inside the shipping box
Company-Specific Form Notes
PSA: Use the PSA submission center online. Select your service level, enter card details, and print the packing slip. PSA uses a barcode system tied to your online account.
BGS: Beckett's online submission system generates a pre-filled form. Pay attention to the sub-grade request option if you want sub-grades displayed (they are included by default with BGS, but verify).
CGC: CGC's submission form includes an option for sub-grades at additional cost. Decide in advance whether you want sub-grades, as adding them later is not possible.
Packaging is the last line of defense between your preparation and the grader's table. Poor packaging is responsible for more grade-drops than most collectors realize.
The Correct Packaging Method
Choose a box that fits your card bundle snugly. Too much empty space allows movement. A 6x6x4 inch box works for most submissions of 10-30 cards
Wrap the card bundle in bubble wrap. Use enough to cushion all sides, but do not over-wrap to the point of creating pressure on the cards
Place the wrapped bundle in the box and fill any remaining space with crumpled packing paper or additional bubble wrap. The bundle should not move when you shake the box
Include your submission form in a resealable bag on top of the cards, so it is the first thing the receiving team sees
Seal the box with strong packing tape. Tape all seams
Label the outside with the shipping label from your carrier and any required return address information
Shipping Best Practices
Submission Value
Recommended Carrier
Insurance
Under $500 total
USPS Priority Mail
Included $100, add more if needed
$500 - $2,000
USPS Priority Mail or UPS Ground
Add full declared value insurance
$2,000 - $10,000
UPS or FedEx with tracking
Full declared value + signature required
Over $10,000
UPS/FedEx with declared value
Full insurance, consider registered mail
Always use tracked shipping. Never send a submission without a tracking number
Require signature on delivery for submissions valued over $500
Keep your tracking number and monitor delivery. Once the carrier shows delivery, contact the grading company if the submission does not appear in your account within a few business days
Packaging Mistakes to Avoid
Using a box that is too large: Cards bounce around during transit and can sustain edge and corner damage
Newspaper as packing material: Ink from newspaper can transfer to card surfaces through sleeves and holders
Packing peanuts without a barrier: Loose packing peanuts can work into Card Savers. Wrap your cards first, then use peanuts to fill space
Reusing old boxes: Weakened cardboard offers less protection. Use a fresh, sturdy box
Step 8: After Submission
Track Your Order
All three major grading companies provide online tracking:
PSA: Track via the PSA Cert Verification or your account dashboard
BGS: Track through your Beckett account
CGC: Track through the CGC submission tracker
Expected Timelines
Turnaround times vary by service level and current demand. For current pricing and turnaround details, see:
Inspect the slabs for any damage during return shipping
Verify the grades match your online account
Compare actual grades to your pre-submission estimates to calibrate your future evaluations
Record the results in your tracking spreadsheet. Over time, this data makes you a better evaluator and submitter
Pre-Screen Before You Prepare
The most cost-effective step in the entire grading process happens before any of the preparation above. CardGrade.io uses AI to predict your card's grade across PSA, BGS, and CGC in 29 seconds. Cards that the AI flags as likely 7s or below can be set aside, saving you the time and cost of preparing and submitting cards that will not return a profit.
The preparation process described in this guide takes real time and real money. Make sure every card you prepare is worth the effort.
Sign up for CardGrade.io with 3 free credits and get full predicted grades before your next submission
For a broader look at grading strategy, including when to grade, which company to choose, and how to maximize your ROI, read our complete card grading strategy guide.
Share
Ready to grade your cards with AI?
Pre-screen your cards before submitting to PSA, BGS, or CGC. Start with 3 free credits.
The CardGrade.io editorial team writes about card grading, AI technology, and collecting strategy. Our guides are researched against official PSA, BGS, and CGC standards.
