SGC Card Grading Review – Is It Better Than PSA?

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PSA gets all the fanfare, but SGC is the second-oldest grading company in the hobby. 

Launched in 1998, about seven years after PSA started, SGC has built a reputation as one of the most trustworthy card graders in the business. 

Unfortunately, PSA-graded cards still sell to both SGC and Beckett-graded cards at a sizeable premium. 

Things could be looking up for SGC, however, since they were recently acquired by PSA. Here’s a full review of SGC grading. I’d love to hear about your experience with SGC in the comments section below. You can also feel free to discuss card grading in our forum.

What’s The Background Of SGC Grading?

SGC was launched in 1998 as Sportscard Guaranty Corporation. The old SGC logo prominently displays the full name ‘Sportscard Guaranty LLC” or Sportscard Guaranty Corporation (SGC).

However, the company’s full name is not found today. I assume SGC tried to remove the’ Guarantee’ word from its brand.

SGC has undergone a complete rebranding campaign in recent years. Thus, today, it is only known as SGC. Even the Better Business Bureau (BBB) lists the company as ‘New SGC LLC.’

CEO Dave Forman acquired SGC between 2003 and 2004. However, in early 2024, Collector’s Holdings, the parent company of PSA, acquired SGC.

Like all card grading companies, there has been no shortage of controversy with SGC.

Here is an old Net54 Forum post where the owner of Clean Sweep Auctions alleges that Dave Forman was a ‘pioneer when it comes to trimming and restoring cards.’

Some even say Forman has a collection of ‘overgraded’ cards from SGC that his brother helped submit. 

As with PSA and BGS, there have been several instances of SGC grading clearly trimmed cards. 

I don’t personally know Dave. I have tried reaching out to SGC for an interview with Dave following the Collectors Holdings acquisition but heard crickets. Public information shows that Pete Steinberg is running the show at SGC, and I’m not sure how involved Foreman is nowadays.

JUST IN: Statement from SGC CEO @SGCPete on the future of the company after being acquired by Collectors Holdings…

Steinberg calls it “the most exciting news our team has ever shared,” and continues to say, “SGC will remain an independent grading brand, and no changes are… pic.twitter.com/8Uny6J61OH

— The Collectibles Guru (@ericwhiteback) February 29, 2024

Is SGC A Credible Grading Company?

Despite some past controversies, SGC is still viewed in the hobby as one of the top grading companies. Today, the top three card grading companies are PSA, SGC, and Beckett Grading Service (BGS). 

Regarding accuracy, SGC finished second in our collector survey, behind only PSA (Professional Sports Authenticator).

SGC also won our award for Best Overall Value. Currently, SGC offers the lowest pricing among mainstream graders.

One thing I like about SGC is its transparency.

Here’s a recent example where they went public with a few mistakes they made in erroneously grading some Pokemon cards:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by SGC (@sgcgrading)

How Does SGC Grade Cards?

Like PSA and Beckett, SGC grades cards using a 1 to 10 scale. 

SGC used to grade cards on a 1 to 100 scale, but in 2018, SGC moved to the industry standard 1 thru 10 grading scale. 

SGC used to include a 1-10 grade on their old labels, but it was always confusing. 

Today, SGC now has a new logo and new style flip (label) a black colored label.

One solid addition that SGC has made recently is publicly available card images for each graded card.  

For example, using the serial number on the SGC label shown above, if we go to SGC’s cert lookup, we can drill into high-resolution images. This is a great addition to help examine a card of questionable authenticity. 

SGC Grading Scale 

SGC 10 Pristine – Gold Label
SGC 10 Gem Mint
SGC 9.5 (Mint+)
SGC 9 (Mint)
SGC 8 (Near Mint-Mint)
SGC 7 (Near-Mint)
SGC 6 (EX-Mint)
SGC 5 (EX)
SGC 4 (VG-EX)
SGC 3 (VG)
SGC 2 (Good)
SGC 1 (Poor)

see more at the SGC website

Does SGC Have An Authentic “A” Grade?

Yes, like the other grading companies, SGC will use the ‘Authentic’ designation to authenticate a card without providing a number grade. Recently, SGC made some changes to better explain their ‘Authentic’ labels. Previously, SGC would just put an ‘A’ on the flip, but now the new process provides more explanation.

As shown below, the item can be either ‘Authentic’ Altered, Color Added, Evidence of Trimming or Miscut.

SGC Gold Label Pristine 10 vs SGC Gem Mint 10. What’s The Difference?

According to SGC, a Pristine 10 (abbreviated PRI on the label) is the perfect condition card. 

A “virtually flawless” card. 50/50 centering, crisp focus, four sharp corners*, free of stains, no breaks in surface gloss, no print or refractor lines, and no visible wear under magnification.

A step down from the Pristine, is the 10 Gem Mint (abbreviated GM on the label). 

According to SGC, a Pristine 10 has a minor off-centering allowance (and a small print spot allowance). 

55/45 or better centering, sharp focus, four sharp corners*, free of stains, no breaks in surface gloss, no print or refractor lines, and no visible wear. A slight print spot visible under close scrutiny is allowable if it does not detract from the aesthetics of the card.

SGC Gold Label 10 vs BGS Pristine 10?

I would consider the SGC Pristine Gold Label 10 and the BGS Pristine Gold Label 10 equivalent grades. According to both grading companies, a card only earns a ‘Pristine’ grade if it is ‘virtually flawless’ with perfect 50/50 centering. 

Note, Beckett offers two different 10 grades, Pristine 10 ‘Gold Label’ and ‘Black Label’ Pristine 10.

What’s The Difference Between SGC, PSA and Beckett?

Becket is the only grading company between SGC, PSA, and BGS that offers sub-grades on its cards. 

Beckett and SGC both offer a ‘Pristine’ grade 10 card, which is flawless, with perfect centering and no flaws. PSA does not have a ‘Pristine’ grade. PSA’s top grade is PSA 10 or GEM-Mint.

To confuse everything, BGS has two Pristine 10 grades – Pristine Black Label (perfect condition), and Pristine 10 Gold Label, which has one subgrade at a 9.5 (with three 10’s). 

Making Sense Out Of The Top Grades

BGC Black Label (Pristine) 10 > SGC Gold Label (Pristine) 10 

 PSA 10 GEM Mint > BGS Gold Label Pristine > SGC 10 GEM Mint > BGS 9.5 GEM Mint

Beckett’s Gem Mint grade is 9.5, SGC’s Gem Mint grade is 10, and PSA’s Gem Mint grade is 10. 

Wow, this isn’t very clear.

This is the easiest way for me to explain it. 

PSA’s definition of Gem-Mint does allow cards to be slightly off-center.

A card can earn a PSA 10 grade if it is slightly off-center on the front (no worse than 55/45).

Thus, PSA 10 cards can sometimes be slightly off-center…even though it is PSA’s top grade.

This helps both SGC and BGS differentiate themselves by creating an upper-tier grade that only allows cards in perfect condition with perfect centering. 

Note that some folks on the Blowout forum did evaluate modern card sales of the top grades among the big three grading companies. 

The results showed that BGS Black Label Pristine’s typically sell for the most of all top-graded cards.

I’ve also noticed that modern cards with the Beckett Pristine Gold 10 grade tend to sell for more than PSA 10 cards, but it depends on the card in question.  

How Much Does SGC Card Grading Cost?

SGC was impacted by the pandemic, but it was seemingly the only card grading company that kept most of its lower-priced grading options intact.  

SGC currently has the lowest base grading rate, with its standard base grading rate starting at only $15.  This compares favorably to PSA Grading and Beckett, which still have grading rates starting at $25+. 

SGC’s grading costs depend on your desired turnaround time (Standard or Immediate) the declared value of the card, and your shipping provider choice. 

A card worth $1500 or less will cost you $15 plus shipping for a standard 5-10 business day turnaround.

Evaluating SGC Grading Prices vs. Beckett and PSA

Using our Sports Card Grading Calculator can provide an example of the pricing differences:

For a $1000 card, the cost breakdown is as follows (note costs can vary based on your choice and speed of return shipping)

PSA: $130
SGC: $60
BGS: $92

Thus, SGC remains the lowest-cost grader among the three big grading companies.

Of course, we must consider that SGC-graded cards still sell at a discount to PSA-graded cards.

SGC Estimated Turnaround Times

Like any grading company, SGC’s turnaround times were impacted by peak demand during the pandemic. Yet, card collectors have recently reported more consistent turnaround times at SGC.

I have submitted to SGC several times over the past year, and I have had a great experience. In each instance, a 20-25 business day submission was returned within the allotted time frame. I believe standard turnaround times are even better right now.

There is an SGC Collector’s Group on Facebook that provides more collective feedback on SGC Turnaround times. There are also a few plugs there for SGC Bulk Submission groups, which allow for cheaper grading rates.

Worth checking out if you are looking to send cards to SGC.

Does SGC Have A Population Report?

SGC does have a population report which you can find here.

Unfortunately, SGC’s pop report is not on the same level as PSA.

I’ve discovered many instances in SGC’s database where the same card is recorded in different rows. Why?

SGC often recorded the same card, yet with different names on the label, resulting in a lack of consistency.

This has improved, but their past data records are a bit scattered. 

Here’s an example. I typed in 1909 T206. The returned data shows that SGC has recorded T206 cards as both ‘1909’ and ‘1909-11’ in the past, leading to identical cards with completely different records in SGC’s population report.

How Do I Submit My Cards To SGC?

SGC offers an online grading submission portal. SGC has improved its online submission system, making the interface clean and easy to use.

In my opinion, SGC’s online grading system is on par with PSA. The search function is intuitive and works well.

SGC and PSA are far beyond what Beckett offers, so an upgrade could definitely be needed.  

SGC’s online submission system starts with you searching for your card.

Here I’ve entered ‘1986 Fleer Michael Jordan’ and the search results show the available options. I select the #57 Michael Jordan Fleer card. 

Next, you must enter a declared value. This will determine the base grading cost for your card.

From SGC:

The declared value you stated on the front of this form is for estimating the insurance coverage only, and the fair market value of the item may be less than your declared value. 

Some grading companies will upcharge if you underestimate the declared value, but it typically depends on the magnitude of difference.

I enter a declared value of $4000. The form automatically fills in the $250 grading fee for that declared value. 

What Should I Enter For A Declared Value?

As noted, a declared value is used by the grading company to determine the appropriate insurance needed for when they ship your card back to you. 

The declared value also determines the cost of grading a specific card. The higher the declared value, the higher the cost of grading.

I recommend trying to guesstimate the card’s grade and then, if it is graded, attempting to estimate its potential value.  

From there, SGC will ask you to choose your return shipper, USPS or FedEx. USPS is a bit cheaper.  Once you have paid for your order, you must ship your cards to SGC.

Send your cards to SGC at:

SGC951 Yamato Rd
Suite 110
Boca Raton, FL 33431

For more help in shipping your cards to SGC, we created this guide to safely package and ship your cards.

How Do I Lookup an SGC Grading Cert?

Collectors can look up the serial number on the front of an SGC label to help verify authenticity and verify the card grade at this link: https://www.gosgc.com/cert-code-lookup

Can I Rely On SGC Card Grades?

SGC has a good reputation in the hobby and is one of the longest-tenured grading companies. 

Past concerns and controversies have existed, but SGC would not have survived for 20+ years if it had not been providing good service. 

My experience with SGC has been positive. Some of the cards I’ve sent received lower grades than I anticipated. 

While this wasn’t a great result for me, SGC is a strict grading company. 

I think SGC is one of the hobby’s most reliable and trustworthy grading companies.

Is SGC Better Than PSA?

PSA-graded cards earn a premium over SGC-graded cards. So, if I had to choose one grading company, it would be PSA for this fact alone. (see below for the pricing difference on PSA 7 vs SGC 7 Jordan rookie cards).

However, considering grading costs, SGC certainly offers fantastic value. I hope that the spread between PSA and SGC-graded cards can narrow over time.

This also creates some opportunities for buyers. Look for SGC cards selling at a discount. You might just find a great deal. 

Does SGC Grading Offer Promo Codes?

SGC has occasionally offered some discounts in the past, but it is not a normal occurrence, similar to what PSA has done with its Collector’s Club.

I encourage collectors to follow the SGC page on Facebook, as this is the first place they would be made aware of any discounts. 

Is SGC Authentic Still In Business?

SGC used to have an autograph authentication business called SGC Authentic.

They shut down the business in 2019, but they had a good reputation.  

There are some rumors that it was shut down after discovering they had authenticated some forged T206 cards.