True Grade Authentication, the Canadian card grading company known as TGA, runs four distinct pricing tiers, and the difference between them comes down to more than just speed. Picking the wrong tier for your submission can mean overpaying for a rush you didn't need, or waiting weeks longer than necessary.
TGA grades Pokémon, Magic: The Gathering, Yu-Gi-Oh!, One Piece, Lorcana, and sports cards including hockey, baseball, and football, so the right tier can also depend on what you're actually submitting.
Here's what each tier costs and who it makes sense for.
None of this requires prior grading experience to follow.
At $15 per card, Value Price Grading is TGA's cheapest tier, but it requires submitting at least 15 cards at once. This makes it a strong fit for collectors clearing out a larger batch rather than grading a single card.
The tradeoff for the lower price is a longer wait, since this tier isn't prioritized the way faster options are.
Standard Grading sits at $19 per card with no minimum submission size, making it the most flexible tier for collectors grading just one or two cards. It costs more per card than Value Price Grading, but skips the 15-card commitment entirely.
For most casual submissions, Standard Grading is the tier that balances cost and flexibility best.
Whichever tier you choose, cards need to survive shipping in pristine condition to grade well. EVORETRO's Graded Card Sleeves protect a freshly graded slab once it comes back.
For everyday handling before submission, a rigid holder keeps corners and edges from taking damage in transit.
At $35 per card, Express Grading roughly doubles the Standard tier's price in exchange for a confirmed 5-business-day turnaround. For collectors selling into a specific market window or prepping for an event, that certainty is often worth the premium.
Express Grading also carries no minimum submission size, keeping it accessible for smaller batches that still need speed.
Same Day Grading costs $50 per card, the highest of TGA's four tiers, in exchange for the fastest possible turnaround available. This tier makes the most sense for a single high-value card or a small handful of cards where waiting even a few days isn't an option.
Submitting a large batch at Same Day pricing rarely makes economic sense compared to Express or Standard for anything below genuinely urgent timelines.
The right tier depends less on card value and more on how many cards you're submitting and how quickly you need them back. A single card needing fast turnaround points toward Same Day or Express, while a larger collection clear-out points toward Value Price.
TGA also offers Bulk Price Grading with custom pricing for larger collections, worth inquiring about directly for submissions well beyond the 15-card Value Price threshold.
The sticker price per card isn't the only cost to weigh — return shipping speed and insurance options can vary depending on how a submission is processed, adding a real but often overlooked expense. Building this into your total cost comparison across tiers gives a more accurate picture than looking at the per-card grading fee alone.
Asking about return shipping options directly when submitting helps avoid surprises once your cards are ready to come home.
Grading company pricing can shift over time as demand and operating costs change, so treating any published rate sheet as a starting point rather than a locked-in guarantee is a sensible habit. A quick check with TGA directly before shipping a larger submission avoids sticker shock once an invoice arrives.
This is especially worth doing for bulk or Same Day submissions, where the total cost across many cards can add up quickly if pricing has shifted since you last checked.
Value Price Grading at $15 per card, with a 15-card minimum.
Yes, both Standard and Express Grading have no minimum submission size.
It's TGA's fastest tier, priced at $50 per card.
Yes, Bulk Price Grading is available with custom pricing for larger collections.
Matching your submission size and timeline to the right tier saves real money. Browse EVORETRO's graded card accessories collection to get your cards ready before you ship.
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