SGC prices its grading service by both declared card value and turnaround speed, which makes its pricing structure meaningfully different from the flat or batch-size pricing used by Canadian graders. Understanding the real total cost from Canada requires looking past the headline per-card number.
Here's the full confirmed breakdown.
None of this requires prior grading experience.
The gap between the $15 entry tier and the $85 next tier is substantial, and it's driven entirely by declared value rather than turnaround speed at this level. A card genuinely worth more than $1,500 needs to be declared and priced accordingly — under-declaring value to stay in a cheaper tier isn't a safe workaround given the insurance implications.
Accurately assessing a card's real value before submitting determines which tier actually applies.
Currency conversion from USD to CAD, plus international shipping costs both ways, need to be added to SGC's published per-card price to get an accurate total. Depending on current exchange rates and shipping method, this can add a meaningful percentage on top of the base grading fee.
Getting a real shipping quote for your specific package weight and declared value before committing avoids an underestimated total cost.
Sorting through candidates to accurately estimate a submission's total declared value takes some organization. EVORETRO's 9-Pocket Binder Pages make comparing cards side by side easier.
Once your batch and declared values are finalized, EVORETRO's Plastic Deck Box keeps everything organized before shipping.
SGC's expedited 2-3 business day tiers cost significantly more than the entry tier's roughly 40-50 business day turnaround, so the speed premium needs to be worth it for your specific situation. For most non-urgent submissions, the entry tier's long wait is the more cost-effective choice.
Being honest about whether you actually need cards back quickly, versus simply wanting them, helps avoid an unnecessary expedited fee.
Once currency conversion, shipping, and any customs considerations are added to SGC's base price, comparing that total against a Canadian grader's CAD pricing for the same card gives the clearest picture of which option actually costs less. This comparison genuinely favors Canadian graders for most modern card submissions.
SGC's total cost advantage, when it exists, tends to show up specifically for higher-value vintage cards where its reputation carries real resale weight.
Since SGC's pricing is entirely in USD, timing a submission around a more favorable CAD-to-USD exchange rate, where practical, can meaningfully affect your total cost. This isn't always possible given grading timelines and card availability, but it's worth keeping an eye on for a planned future submission.
Checking current exchange rates alongside SGC's published pricing, rather than relying on a rate you remember from months ago, keeps your cost estimate accurate.
Beyond the exchange rate itself, many credit cards and payment methods charge an additional foreign transaction fee on USD purchases, which adds a further small cost on top of SGC's base pricing for Canadian submitters. Checking your specific payment method's foreign transaction fee policy before submitting avoids an overlooked extra cost.
Some Canadian credit cards specifically waive foreign transaction fees, which can meaningfully reduce the effective cost gap when paying a US-based company directly.
Rather than comparing a single SGC submission against a single Canadian submission, looking at the total cost difference across a full year of typical submission volume gives a clearer sense of how much the cross-border premium actually adds up to over time. This bigger-picture view can make the decision feel more concrete than a one-off comparison.
For collectors submitting frequently throughout the year, this annual view often makes the case for a primarily Canadian-grader strategy even stronger.
$15 USD per card for declared values up to $1,500 on standard turnaround.
Significantly more — $150 USD and up depending on declared value and turnaround speed.
Currency conversion and cross-border shipping costs both ways.
No, this creates real insurance and coverage risks and isn't a safe workaround.
A little math upfront avoids an unpleasant surprise on the total bill. Browse EVORETRO's toploaders and sleeves collection to protect your cards while you plan.
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