Conor - Pulled Fiction
Looking for the lowdown on grading your sports cards here in the UK? Well, you’re in luck! Friend of the site, and one half of the best YouTube duo in the entire hobby scene.
The one and only Conor, from Pulled Fiction is here with his breakdown of the card grading scene, explaining exactly where you’ll get the best value for money. Enjoy!
Ok, folks, you know the drill… EYES IN!!! If you’ve seen one of our recent videos over on YouTube, you’ll know we recently took the plunge and graded a few of our personal collection, only to discover some surprising truths about the UK grading scene.
So, here’s the honest, no-nonsense breakdown: Is UK grading any good? Is PSA still king? And most importantly, where should you be sending your cards? Spoiler: we now lean towards a strong UK-first approach, and yes, you can get 10% off at one of the Best UK Grading Companies currently (see ‘Final Thoughts & Discount’ for the code).
Why PSA remains the big dog – And why it’s not that simple!
PSA Remains the Big Dog, But It’s Not Simple No surprises here, PSA (Professional Sports Authenticator) is still the gold standard. Founded in 1991, they handle over 30 million cards annually, especially in the US market.
Benefits of using PSA
- ✔️ Global trust and market recognition
- ✔️ Generally, higher resale values
- ✔️ Tiered expedited services — Express, Walk-Through, etc.
But PSA has downsides — especially for UK hobbyists:
- ⚠️ Pricey (£18–£35 per card just for grading, plus shipping)
- ⚠️ Extended shipping timelines — often 8–12 weeks just to ship, then another 2–3 months for grading
- ⚠️ New tariffs prohibit direct submissions from outside the U.S. (as of June 2025).
So yes, PSA is great for high-end collectors chasing maximum value, but it may not be for the rest of us.
UK-Based grading companies – Faster, cheaper, still solid
Here’s where things get interesting. We tested a few services ourselves. Three in particular stood out:
Ace Grading
Originally TCG-focused (Pokémon, Yu-Gi-Oh), Ace is quick, transparent, and wallet-friendly. Their turnaround is 7–30 days, and subgrades are included.
- ✔️ Good for fun grades and everyday cards
- ⚠️ Not as recognised outside the UK
We did suffer a big problem with Ace, ourselves, but that was isolated to us, we believe. So let’s be fair.
Majesty Grading Company (MGC)
MGC is UK-based, specialises in sports cards and memorabilia, and even uses tamper-proof tech and custom slabs.
- ✔️ Solid turnaround (4–8 weeks)
- ✔️ Quality slabs comparable to US brands
- ✔️ Trustpilot reviews rave about their reliability and service
Get Graded (GG)
A hybrid UK–US grading outfit, slowly gaining momentum in the hobby.
- ✔️ Ultra-competitive pricing from £7.50 per card in bulk, with subgrades available
- ✔️ Sub-grade detail helps buyers understand why cards get their score
- ✔️ UK-based submission, so no tariffs, faster returns
- ✔️ Can even provide US-grade equivalent slabs on request
Money and timing – What you really save
Here’s how the numbers break down for a typical 10-card sports-card batch (value roughly £20–£100 each):
That’s half the cost and time, yet, for the most part, you still get a beautiful slab collectable.
Real value – Slabs that sell
Here’s our personal take, built from watching buyers, collectors, and auctions across eBay, Facebook groups, and OC.
- PSA slabs often fetch a premium — though on base or mid-tier cards, that might be just £20–50 more.
- MGC slabs are trusted and perform well when sold within UK/sports-card groups.
- Get Graded slabs, with subgrades, are incredibly strong, even offering optional US-grade equivalence.
Our own experience? We sold recently graded cards quickly, buyers checking subgrades, condition, and seller trust, and prices were within 5–10% of PSA slabs.
At Pulled Fiction, we do a mix of case hits, autographs, and numbered parallels. We want slabs fast, look great, and still mean something. That means:
- On most cards: Get Graded offers the best balance of price, speed, and quality.
- For ultra-high-end finds: PSA still holds up on global resale value.
As a nod to our hobby community, Get Graded kindly offered 10% off with code ‘Fiction10’ at checkout, just our way of saying thanks and keeping sports-card collecting thriving in the UK.
UK card grading has come a long way. With competition heating up, our hobby has real options that combine speed, price, and legit quality. Whether you’re a grinder or grails hunter, UK grades work, and often impress.
Personally? We’ll still use PSA for top-tier rarities. But for our regulars, Get Graded is fast becoming the go-to. And with that, using our discount code, you’re getting better value with a 10% discount, but the same trust, no tariffs, and real slab appeal.
Here’s to more epic rips, proud slabs, and the joy of collecting… Without the wait!
Keep coming back to Collector Club for all the latest sports card news and trading card news, keeping you up-to-date with everything that’s going on in the hobby!