Frequently Asked Questions

Diamond Service Grading is a third-party authentication and grading company, and does not determine the value of any items. For insurance purposes, we require a declared value for each card.

To determine the value of your cards, please refer to a reputable pricing guide and/or sold listings from auction house websites like eBay.

Before a submission, if you do not already have one, we recommend creating an account to more easily submit cards and track your collection.

To submit, select ‘Add to Cart’ under the appropriate service type you would like for your cards. You will be sent to a page to enter any card information you would like to provide about your cards. When done adding cards to your order, proceed to checkout by clicking on your cart.

The current standard fee is $12 per card graded. Our pricing is structured to give you a greater discount the more cards you submit in any order.

Please visit our submissions page to see other current prices and special deals we offer.

Shipping charges are calculated based on the number of cards being graded and the corresponding package size & total weight of your return shipment. We use USPS for all domestic shipments. Please note that all packages require signature confirmation for delivery. If you would like us to use a different service, please contact us.

Please note: if shipping costs exceed the amount of the option you have selected, you will be responsible for the remainder.

During checkout, we ask the customer to please select an option to insure for the declared value of the cards being shipped. The Declared Value is your estimate of the value of the item prior to it being evaluated by DSG. 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 create an account: Click on the person icon next to ‘SUBMIT HERE’ on the top menu. Under the ‘Sign Up’ tab, create a username and password.

To log in to your account: Click on the person icon next to ‘SUBMIT HERE’ on the top menu. Under the ‘Login’ tab, enter your username and password.

A DSG account allows our customers to easily submit cards, track orders, and manage their collection.

Please contact us at support@dsggrading.com and we will send an email with instructions on resetting your password.

We do not, nor would we ever, issue an upcharge to our valued customers based upon the card’s value. We value transparency on our pricing; you won’t be encountering any surprise fees after grading.

Do not worry! Entering card information is entirely optional, though any information you do provide may help expedite the grading process for you.

We will ship your order back using USPS for all domestic shipments. Please note that all packages require signature confirmation for delivery. If you would like us to use a different service, please contact us.

DSG grades most trading card games (TCGs), sports cards and non-sports cards. If you are not sure if a card in your order can be graded, please contact us at support@dsggrading.com and we will assist you.

Our company has the right in its sole discretion to reject any collectibles submitted for services in cases where the submitted collectibles do not comply with our current standards and procedures set forth on our website. Because even collectibles that are ultimately rejected must still be received, tracked, and examined, fees for services shall not be refunded for such rejected collectibles.

DSG can encapsulate a variety of card sizes, shapes, and thicknesses. Our UV-protected, polycarbonate encasements minimize or eliminate the potential for movement within the slab encasement.

Cards can be up to 2 3/4 x 3 5/8 in.

Thick cards can be up to 200 ml.

Yes, if DSG deems the autograph to be authentic, we will certify the autograph as an ‘Authentic Auto’.

To check the grade of your card before you have received your submission, go to your user account page and click the graded cards section. In this section, you can view all your graded cards, even your most recent submission.

DSG uses a highly accurate 10-point grading scale, with grades ranging from 10 (Gem Mint) to 1 (Poor). To determine a card’s grade, graders consider factors such as centering, manufacturing and handling defects, how well the card has been preserved, evidence of play, scuffing, indentations, soiling, fading and more.

See our grading scale for more information.

DSG offers 32 sub-grades on every card. 16 on each side, splitting each side of the card into 4 sections, and each section has 4 sub-grades.

Yes, DSG images all cards before grading. DSG takes high-resolution digital imaging as an add-on service for submissions. This imaging service consists of accurate, high-resolution images of the front and back of the card, shown encapsulated in its DSG holder.

The card is encapsulated in a 3.125 x 5.4375 in polycarbonate slab.

Currently we can fit cards up to 200 ml in our slabs.

For $8 per card, you can reslab an old slab with any of the old labels into the new standardized DSG slab.

DSG will correct any encapsulation inclusions or mislabeled item(s) free of charge. If you believe your item needs to be corrected, please contact us at support@dsggrading.com. You will need to provide front and back photos of your item. We will then verify whether the item meets our correction criteria. If confirmed, we will provide instructions on how to send the item back for correction at no cost.