Card grading has transformed the trading card industry, turning collectibles into verified assets with standardized grading scales. What started as a hobbyist practice has now become a multi-billion-dollar industry, shaping the way collectors buy, sell, and trade sports and Pokémon cards. Let’s explore the history of card grading, from its early days to the cutting-edge AI-powered grading systems of today.
The Early Days: Raw Cards & Subjective Valuations
Before grading companies existed, collectors traded raw (ungraded) cards, relying on personal judgment to determine a card’s condition. This led to disputes and inconsistencies, as one person’s "Near Mint" might be another’s "Excellent."
In the 1980s, as vintage cards like the 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle skyrocketed in value, the demand for a universal grading system became evident.
The Birth of Professional Card Grading (1991-2000s)
In 1991, Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA) became the first major third-party grading company, introducing a 10-point grading scale that standardized how cards were assessed. Other grading companies soon followed:
- 1999 – BGS (Beckett Grading Services): Introduced subgrades for centering, corners, edges, and surface, offering deeper insight into a card’s condition.
- 2001 – SGC (Sportscard Guaranty Corporation): Gained popularity for vintage card grading with a 1-100 scale (later changed to 1-10).
These companies revolutionized the industry by encapsulating cards in tamper-proof slabs, ensuring authenticity and protecting cards from damage.
The Boom of the 2020s & AI-Powered Grading
The sports card and Pokémon card market exploded in the 2020s, increasing demand for faster and more accurate grading. However, traditional grading faced backlogs, human bias, and inconsistencies.
Enter AGS (Automated Grading Systems) – the first fully AI-driven grading company. By eliminating human subjectivity, AGS offers:
✅ Precise grading through high-resolution imaging.
✅ Faster turnaround times compared to traditional services.
✅ Transparent reports with visual breakdowns of card conditions.
AI-powered grading is quickly becoming the future of the hobby, ensuring consistency and accuracy in an industry where every grade matters.
What’s Next for Card Grading?
With continued advancements in AI, blockchain authentication, and digital grading reports, the industry is evolving rapidly. Collectors now have more choices than ever, with AGS leading the way in modern grading technology.