Frequently Asked Questions (2024)

PSA also grades major sporting event tickets such as those from the MLB regular season, All-Star games, Playoffs, World Series, NFL regular season, Super Bowl, NBA regular season, NCAA Finals, etc. Since entertainment tickets are serviced on a case-by-case basis, please fill out a ‘Research Request’ in theCustomer Request Centerto see if your ticket is eligible.

PSA will begin authenticating and grading tickets from Ticketmaster, TicketTron, Tickets.com and other select 3rd party ticket providers for sporting events. Special designations may be added to labels to distinguish 3rd party ticket providers. PSA will not be processing any print-at-home tickets.

Due to the printing process and type of paper stock used on some tickets, fading of the ink may occur, which could affect the grade if re-submitted under one of our review or reholder services. As a reminder, tickets are not covered by the PSA Financial Guaranteeof Grade & Authenticity, nor is PSA responsible for any type of fading that may occur once a ticket is encapsulated in a PSA holder.

If you are looking to submit multiple items, it is probably in your best interest to join thePSA Collector’s Club. As a Collector’s Club member, you would be able to take advantage of theCollectors Club Value Pricingand/orQuarterly Grading Specialsthat PSA offers exclusively to Collector’s Club members. You can view more information on joining the Collector’s Clubhere.

If you are only looking to submit a few items, you may submit as a non-member. You can find more information on the PSA Grading Serviceshere.

Once you are ready to submit, you will need to fill out a submission form via theOnline Submission Center. Once completed and printed, you must mail the submission form, along with your item(s) and method of payment, to PSA. To determine the appropriate shipping address, please refer to “Step 4” of theSubmission Center.

Autographed cards dated pre-1998 and/or those not certified directly by the manufacturer must be submitted through the Card and Autograph Dual Service. With this service, PSA will authenticate both the card and autograph. You also have the option to grade the condition of the card and/or autograph with this service. You can find more information on this servicehere.

Autographed cards that are certified through the manufacturer and dated 1998-present can be submitted at any regular service level,Collectors Club Value pricingorQuarterly Grading Specialsthat it qualifies under. However, please note that under these services, only the card will be evaluated.

Card by card, you have three options to mix and match:

1. Ship Back: for the favorites wanted back in hand.

2. Send to the PSA Vault: for on-demand sales and fully-insured security.

3. Send to Goldin: to be featured in the first-available Weekly Auction.

Send your entire order to one place, or pick and choose the right spot for each new grade—the power is yours.

Selections can be managed from the moment grades are ready until the order moves to Complete, and to provide you time to game plan the landing spot of each card, grades are now revealed earlier in the process.

• As always, every card entering the PSA grading room is examined by at least two authentication and grading professionals.

• After an initial assessment by the first grader, each card is reviewed again to ensure authentication and grading accuracy. This review was previously titled QA1, and it’s now been folded into the Grading stage.

• Payment is now requested when grading is completed, and grade reveals are available once payment is received.

• QA Checks (formerly QA2) assesses the condition of the holder. Upon passing review, quality assurance is concluded.

• At this point, the window to select and manage destinations closes, the order moves to Complete, and cards are prepared for shipping.

Once you are prepared to fill out a submission form, you will need to select a Service Level, which is determined by your Declared Value. The Declared Value is your estimate of the value of the item after it has been assigned a grade by PSA. We understand you will not know the true value of the item until it has been graded, so we ask that you form a realistic, educated estimate based on your own research, keeping in mind that the Declared Value acts as a maximum value for shipping insurance purposes and in the event of a claim related to the item.

To determine your value, we recommend you start by referencingPSA’s Photograde Onlineto obtain a general, visual illustration of each card grade; this may help you gauge the quality of your card. Based on this assessment, we then advise you to reference various pricing sources to determine the estimated value of your item. We also recommend you refer to a wide variety of trade publications, auction prices realized and/or even contact a dealer in your area (Dealer Directory) for additional assistance.

It is important that you spend the time, utilize the available resources, and take the necessary steps to accurately estimate the Declared Value. The Declared Value you provide establishes:

1. the maximum item value in the event of a claim connected with that item while at PSA,

2. the maximum item value for shipping insurance purposes, and

3. the appropriate Service Level and Service Level price.

Once you arrive at a Declared Value, please refer to the submission form orPricing for PSA Servicesto determine the Service Level for which your item is eligible, based on your Declared Value. The price listed will be what you will pay per item.

Note that if you desire a faster turnaround time on your order, you may select a Service Level above the Declared Value for your item.

If you are uncertain about whether or not PSA can authenticate and/or grade your cards, tickets, packs, pins, and/or coins, you can do one of the following:

• Go to the Customer Request Center and complete a ‘Research Request’. Include front and back images of the item along with any additional information from a published, reputable source (online links permitted) that lists specifications about your item. We will follow up with you via email to confirm whether the item can be submitted or not.

• You may always submit the item without prior confirmation; however, please be advised that if we cannot grade your item, we will return it without encapsulation and you will be responsible for the return shipping charges.

Note:Although we may have authenticated and/or graded an item in the past or may have previously stated that we could create specifications for the type of item you are submitting, we will not know for certain whether the item can be authenticated until it is physically in our possession.

To provide better security for its growing customer base, PSA added a cost-free “SecureScan” service in 2019. The imaging feature involves taking front and back scans of PSA-encapsulated items with high-resolution scanners and making those images available on the PSA website. At present, the free benefit is available to all customers across each of the following service levels: Economy, Regular, Express, Super Express, Walk-Through, and all Premium.

Currently, PSA is imaging cards, tickets, and packs only, and uploading them to its online Certification Verification site (www.PSAcard.com/cert). This is extremely useful for collectors looking to verify the details of an item, including its cert number, before making a purchase. SecureScan provides collectors with high-quality images to use on the PSA Set Registry as well as for their records including insurance purposes. Customers need to download the images directly from the Cert Verification page. PSA is not accepting any images from customers for uploading to the Cert Verification page; the item must be in-house and imaged by PSA to be uploaded.

Once you are ready to submit your items, you must fill out a submission form via theOnline Submission Center. Once completed, you will mail in the item(s) with your form(s) directly to PSA. To determine the appropriate shipping address, please refer to “Step 4” of theSubmission Center.Keep in mind that if you are a Collector's Club member, you will have access to ourCollectors Club Value Pricing(listed under ourPricing Schedule for PSA Services) and Quarterly Grading Specials (listed on ourCollector Club Specialspage). If you are not a member, you can read more about joining the Collector’s Clubhere.

You also have the option of submitting your items to us at a trade show, where we will have a booth set up to accept submissions. TheShow Schedule, which is always available online, is regularly updated and also lists the services we will be performing at each event.

If you would like to drop off your items at one of our offices, this can be arranged. However, please know that we only accept submissions at our Woodbridge, NJ, office byappointment onlyand on a limited, case-by-case basis for high-value items and high-volume submissions at our Southern California location. If you would like to set up an appointment, please visithttps://www.psacard.com/newjerseyofficeor call Customer Service at (800) 325-1121 for further assistance.

Please be advised that if your item fails to pass our process, you will still be responsible for the charges. Additionally, prior to submitting items to PSA for encapsulation, we recommend you checkherefor the most up-to-date list of items that PSA grades and our available holder sizes.

Each Service Level, Holder Size and Type of Submission will need to be submitted separately, with their own submission form and charges. However, you may ship all of these submissions to us in the same box, bearing in mind that they will have to be shipped back separately. Please make sure you go back to yourOnline Submission Center Dashboardto generate a Multi-Submission ID packing Label.

For more information on how to ship your items, please refer to thePacking Guidelinespage on our website. Be advised that if the item is not easily retrievable through the packaging, is poorly packed and/or is damaged in transit, your package may be refused.

PSA will correct any mislabeled item(s) free of charge. If you believe your item is mislabeled, please submit a Label Correction Request via the Customer Request Center. You can do so by logging into your account and clicking on Customer Request Center. You will need to provide front and back photos of your item. This will be sent directly to the research team and they will verify whether the item is mislabeled. If they confirm, they will provide instructions on how to send the item back for correction at no cost.

As part of these instructions, we will email you a pre-paid FedEx shipping label to spare you the additional cost of mailing your item(s) back, but please note that you may only include the mislabeled item(s) in this package. The label will expire within 30 days of issuance. If it is determined that the item(s) have no errors, then you will be responsible for the full return shipping fee.

If your order is still in process with PSA, you will receive an email to “Review Your Order” once it finishes Research and ID. This will allow you to report any errors for correction before the order is completed.

PSA guarantees that all cards submitted to it shall be graded in accordance with PSA grading standards and under the procedures of PSA. If PSA, in fact, concludes that the card in question no longer merits the PSA grade assigned or fails PSA’s authenticity standards, PSA will either: 1) Buy the card from the submitter at the current market value if the card can no longer receive a numerical grade under PSA's standards, or 2) Refund the difference in value between the original PSA grade and the current PSA grade if the grade is lowered. In this case, the card will also be returned to the customer along with the refund for the difference in value.

Restrictions apply.Read the full PSA Financial Guarantee of Grade & Authenticityfor complete details.

Customers interested in joining the PSA Dealer Program are required to fill out an application, which includes a formal background check, as the first step in the consideration process. To determine eligibility, PSA will weigh heavily the applicant’s ability to meet our basic prerequisites and the results of the background check. Providing specific details related to past submissions, advertisem*nts, sales of PSA products, and support of PSA services in general will assist us when reviewing the application. If you would like to apply for the Program, pleasevisit the PSA Sales page and fill out the “Contact Sales” form.

Note: Any entity or individual who 1) has, or has key employees who have, been convicted of a felony in the last five years, 2) has spent less than $25,000 per year, or 3) otherwise fails to meet PSA standards for honesty, integrity, financial responsibility and general reputation is disqualified from further consideration for the PSA Dealer Program.

It can be frustrating when there is a difference in opinion regarding the condition of your item. However, it is important to note that we have a minimum of two or more, professional graders review your item and they must agree upon a grade. Although their opinion may differ from your personal perception of the item in question, please know that differences of opinion can occur when determining the quality of any item. Nevertheless, PSA is here to provide a third-party, unbiased opinion to ensure that our customers (whether a buyer, seller or collector) receive the most accurate estimation of the item. Please read through thePSA Grading Standardsavailable online to gain insight as to why our graders may have provided the result listed on the item.

If you still disagree with the results, you may resubmit it for Review; however, this is a paid-for service, and you will be responsible for the full grading fee and shipping charges.

PSA can review any card(s) that you feel warrants a different grade. To utilize our Review service, please fill out a submission form via theOnline Submission Centerand select “Review” as the Submission Type. Then select the appropriate Service Level.

A “Qualifier” is a term used when an item meets all of the criteria for a particular grade but may still have one significant flaw. There are six PSA Qualifiers, two of which are required, and four that are optional.

Required Qualifiers

MK (Marks)Any and all cards with writing, ink marks, pencil marks, etc. or evidence of the impression left from the act of writing will be designated "MK"

MC (Miscut)Any and all cards that exhibit an atypical cut for the issue, which may result in portions of the subject card being cut off or more than one card being visible, will be designated "MC"

Optional Qualifiers

OC (Off Center)Cards that are off center will either by designated “OC” or will have a numerical grade that reflects the minimum centering allowed for the grade

ST (Staining)Cards with staining will either by designated “ST” or will have a numerical grade that reflects the minimum staining allowed for the grade

PD (Print Defect)Cards with printing defects will either be designated "PD” or will have a numerical grade that reflects the minimum print defects allowed for the grade

OF (Out of Focus)Cards that are out of focus or out of register with either be designated "OF” or will have a numerical grade that reflects the minimum focus standards allowed for the grade

The “No Grade” term is used when an item cannot be graded by PSA for a variety of reasons. For example, PSA will not grade items that bear evidence of trimming (N1), restoration (N2), recoloration (N3), questionable authenticity (N4), altered stock (N5) or cleaning (N7). In the event that PSA rejects an item for any of these reasons, it will be returned not encapsulated, however the full grading price is still charged, as the determination to reject a card requires review by PSA's authenticators and graders. PSA will also not grade items that do not meet the minimum size requirement (N6), were miscut by the manufacturer (N8), or items we do not grade due to being an obscure issue or not fitting in our holders (N9). Items that receive N6, N8 or N9 results will not be charged grading.

For more information, please review thePSA Grading Standardsavailable online.

You may submit autographed items to PSA/DNA at any trade show where we will be providing on-site authentication (ourShow Schedulecan be found online) or by shipping your items directly to our office.

If you are looking to mail the item(s) directly to us, you must fill out the appropriate PSA/DNA submission form(s) first. Forms are available via theSubmission Centerin PDF format or you may call/email Customer Service to have hard copies of the appropriate form(s) mailed to you. Our authentication prices are based on who signed the items and can be found on thePSA/DNA Pricing Scheduleonline.

Once you have completely filled out the submission form, you are now ready to mail it to us along with your item(s) and method of payment. Our shipping address can be found on the top-left corner of the form.

If you would like to drop off your items at one of our offices, this can be arranged. However, please know that we only accept submissions at our Woodbridge, NJ, office byappointment onlyand on a limited, case-by-case basis for high-value items and high-volume submissions at our Southern California location. If you would like to set up an appointment, please visithttps://www.psacard.com/newjerseyofficeor call Customer Service at (800) 325-1121 for further assistance.

The PSA/DNA authentication fees are based on the signer of the item or, if multi-signed, the most premier on the item and total number of signatures. (Please note that the “Premier Autograph” is the signer that has the highest authentication price.)

If the item issingle-signed, search the last name of the signer under section #1 of the onlinePSA/DNA Pricing Schedule. This will provide a list of signers with that last name and you should be able to find your signer on the list with the authentication price noted next to it.

If the item ismulti-signed, you first will need to determine who the Premier signer is on your item. Once the Premier Autograph has been determined, please enter the last name of that signer and the total number of signatures under section #2 of the onlinePSA/DNA Pricing Schedule. This will provide the combined Authentication price for your multi-signed item.

If you are submitting at least 50 multi- or single-signed items, please email a list of item type and signers in ourcontact formto inquire about a bulk discount.

When submitting these items, you will also be required to enter a Declared Value. We understand you will not know the True Value of the item until it is authenticated, so we ask that you form a realistic, educated guess based on your own research, keeping in mind the Declared Value is also used for insurance purposes.

Also, please note that any item with a declared value of $1,000 or more is subject to a Premium Item charge in addition to the authentication price; this is so we may properly insure the item for you. To calculate the Premium Item charge, please refer to the chart on the back of the PSA/DNA submission form or visit the onlinePSA/DNA Pricing Schedule.

To determine your values, you may use thePSA Price Guide, which is a comprehensive price guide for PSA and PSA/DNA-certified collectibles. You may also refer to other trade publications, auction prices realized and/or even contact aPSA Dealerfor additional assistance.

As part of our Autograph Authentication service, you will have the option of having the item encapsulated in one of our tamper-evident holders (holder sizes permitting) or certified with documentation. With that said, please make sure you are completing the appropriate form as there is one form for items you wish to be encapsulated (“Autograph Encapsulation Submission”) and one for items that do not require encapsulation (“Autograph Submission”). Please refer to the top-right corner of the form for the submission type.

When an item is certified with documentation (not encapsulation), we will apply our invisible, synthetic, DNA-laced ink to the item, in conjunction with our tamper-evident label and matching Certificate of Authenticity (COA) or Letter of Authenticity (LOA). This PSA/DNA security matrix will identify your collectible as certified.

We also use a tamper-evident label that can be applied to an object only once and cannot be reapplied to any other object. The label can be removed but will tear apart upon removal, leaving behind fragments of the label. If the label has been removed accidentally or intentionally, PSA/DNA can re-issue a label and COA at a discounted rate once we are able to verify the DNA daub on your item.

If you do not want the tamper-evident label on your item(s), you can request that the label be placed on the Letter of Authenticity (LOA). Be aware that items with an Authentication price lower than $50.00 will require the label on the item unless you upgrade the COA to an LOA and check the appropriate box on the submission form. An LOA upgrade of this fashion will also require an additional $10 charge.

To start, it is next to impossible to replicate the DNA that our company uses to tag each item it certifies as authentic. PSA/DNA has contracted DNA Technologies, Inc. to create a DNA trace liquid with a code that is known only to PSA and DNA Technologies. The chances are 1 in 33 trillion that someone would be able to randomly recreate the exact sequence of the DNA strand that is used for the PSA/DNA tag.

The most obvious way to tell if an item has been certified is to look at the tamper-evident PSA/DNA label. It is a half-inch, oval sticker displaying a unique, six-digit, alphanumeric certification number that is used to identify the certified item in our database. This tamper-evident label can be applied to an object only once and cannot be reapplied to any other object. The label can be removed but will tear apart upon removal, leaving behind fragments of the label.

In addition to the label, all PSA/DNA-certified items come with either a Certificate of Authenticity (COA) or a Letter of Authenticity (LOA) stating that PSA/DNA authenticators have examined and deemed genuine the autograph. The COA or LOA also features the six-digit, alphanumeric certification number that matches the tamper-evident label, plus they both include a detailed, color-changing PSA/DNA embedded hologram logo for added security.

LOAs, in particular, also feature a high-resolution image of the exact item that was examined and authenticated by our staff. In this case, you have the image PSA/DNA took in-house to compare to the item in question. Furthermore, the images featured on the LOAs are also displayed on our website and are viewable when you search the certification number under theCert Verificationpage.

As a final step, the item can be sent directly to PSA/DNA so we can verify, with one of our specially-calibrated infrared lasers, the presence of the invisible PSA/DNA ink that is applied to all certified items.

Aside from the above, we also recommend that you readPSA Security: A Buyer’s Guideand ourTen Tips for Building a Collection. Prior to purchasing any collectible, big or small, it is critical that you first educate yourself as a consumer. These two sources will provide a wealth of information, but if nothing more, always keep in mind that you should buy from a reputable seller and buy items that have been authenticated/graded by an established third-party service such as PSA and PSA/DNA.

Letters of Authenticity (LOAs) produced by PSA/DNA have a detailed, color-changing hologram logo embedded into the paper, as well as double watermarks depicting the helix design of a DNA strand and the PSA/DNA logo. Additionally, all LOAs have a high-resolution image of the very item that was examined and authenticated by our staff, which matches the photo on ouronline database, and a handwritten signature from a PSA/DNA representative. Counterfeiters would have to illegally replicate the hologram technology used and spend a huge amount of money to manufacture the paper. These unique security features make it very difficult to counterfeit.

The PSA/DNA tamper-evident labels and Certificates/Letters of Authenticity have undergone gradual design changes over the years as we’re always looking for ways to make improvements to our products to combat forgeries and counterfeiting. Whether it’s changing the shape of the label from square to oval to better adhere to rounded items, or adding additional watermarks and an embedded hologram to the LOA, you can count on PSA/DNA to provide you with the most state-of-the-art technology to protect your certified items.

If you would like to upgrade your item to the new hologram LOA, please use ourcontact formand a PSA Customer Service Department member will support you.

Once you are ready to submit your items, you will complete the appropriate submission form(s); forms can be obtained through theOnline Submission Centeror by calling/emailing Customer Service to have hard copies mailed to you. Once completed, you must mail in the submission form(s) along with your item(s) and method of payment to the address listed in the top-left corner of the form.

You also have the option of submitting your items to us at a trade show, where we will have a booth set up to accept submissions. TheShow Schedule, which is always available online, is regularly updated and also lists the services we will be performing at each event.

If you would like to drop off your items at one of our offices, this can be arranged. However, please know that we only accept submissions at our Woodbridge, NJ, office by appointment only and on a limited, case-by-case basis for high-value items and high-volume submissions at our Southern California location. If you would like to set up an appointment, please call Customer Service at (800) 325-1121 for further assistance.

Please be advised that if your item fails to pass our process, you will still be responsible for the fees. Additionally, prior to submitting items to PSA/DNA under the Autograph Encapsulation service, we recommend you checkherefor the most up-to-date list of available holder sizes.

Each Type of Submission will need to be submitted separately, with their own paid return shipping. However, you may ship all of these submissions to us in the same box, bearing in mind that they will have to be shipped back separately.

For example, you can include all of the items eligible for the Autograph Authentication serviceandAutograph Encapsulation service in the same package. However, they will need to be written up on their own separate submission forms and must be shipped back separately as well.

Since PSA is a third-party authentication and grading company, we do not value or appraise items. Therefore, we ask that you form a realistic, educated guess based on your own research, keeping in mind that the Declared Value is also used for insurance purposes. To determine your values, you may use thePSA Price Guide, which is a comprehensive price guide for PSA and PSA/DNA-certified collectibles. You may also refer to other trade publications, auction prices realized and/or even contact aPSA Dealerfor additional assistance.

If the item is found to be worth significantly more than your Declared Value based on the evaluation we provide, we will contact you to pay the difference in service level pricing/premium item and shipping charges, which are adjusted to properly insure and handle your item(s).

You will be responsible for shipping both ways. You can calculate the return shipping cost by using the chart listed on the back of the submission form or by checking the appropriate chart on theReturn Postagepage online. If you have your own FedEx or USPS account, you may enter your account information on the submission form to charge your account directly.

For detailed information on how to package and ship your items, please refer to thePacking Guidelinespage on our website. Otherwise, please make sure to package the items in a manner that will not risk damage to the item in transit or upon removal. Be advised that if the item is not easily retrievable through the packaging, is poorly packed and/or is damaged in transit, your package may be refused.

If you have an international submission, please be advised you will be subject to international shipping rates and extended shipping timeframes. International shipping rates can be calculated by referencing the chart on the back of the submission form. Please contact Customer Service at (800) 325-1121 if you have any questions.

To use FedEx for the return shipment of your submissions, you must have your own account and third-party insurance, with the understanding you are liable for any loss or damage to the package. On the submission form, please enter your FedEx account number, insurance value limit and delivery option under the appropriate section.

You are also responsible for paying any duty or tax fees on your incoming or outgoing shipments. On the airway bills and commercial invoices, please mark “Bill Sender” on all. When using your own FedEx account, you are releasing PSA from all liabilities due to loss or damage to the package.

We only use US Postal Service or FedEx. We do not use the following couriers on incoming or outgoing shipments: UPS, DHL or any other.

To ship internationally, please use one of the following addresses depending on your method:

• USPS Package ship to: PSA or PSA/DNA Div., PO Box 6180, Newport Beach CA 92658

• FedEx Int’l Priority or Economy package ship to: PSA or PSA/DNA Div., 1610 E. St Andrew Place, Suite 150, Santa Ana, California 92705

• FedEx Int’l Ground package to: PSA or PSA/DNA Div., 1610 E. St Andrew Place, Suite 150, Santa Ana, California 92705

For domestic shipments, PSA uses multiple carriers and determines the best service based on various factors when shipping your order back to you. These carriers currently include:

• USPS

• FedEx

• Armored carriers such as: Brinks, Dunbar, Ferrari, Malca Amit, etc.

Please note that the carriers PSA uses may change in the future. All packages are shipped using PSA’s insurance and require signature confirmation for delivery.

If you would like to guarantee that your order ships via a certain carrier, please create a shipping account with that carrier (FedEx or USPS Express Mail) and provide PSA with the account number and shipping information for that account. Outside of specifying a carrier account number that bills directly to you, due to the high volume of PSA Shipping, we are unable to accommodate special requests for specific shipping carriers or methods. Please also note that once an order is shipped, PSA is unable to reroute and/or redirect the address or intended recipient of that package.

The Collector’s Club is an exclusive membership with PSA. After you’ve paid the annual fee, you will have access to exclusive services levels only available to Collectors Club members(listed under ourPricing Schedule for PSA Services) and Monthly Grading Specials (listed on ourCollector Club Specialspage).

You are not required to join the Collectors Club in order to submit your items. You can read more about joining on thePSA Collectors Clubpage.