Card Pre-screening Tips and Advice

GPS Pre-Screening Guide: Check Your Trading Cards Before Sending Them for Cleaning & Preparation

At GPS, we specialize in preparing and cleaning trading cards before grading to help you achieve the highest possible grades. To ensure the best results, please follow this simple pre-screening process before sending us your cards. This will help avoid sending cards that may not be worth grading. 

We recommend checking out these popular grading service standards as well:
PSA Grading Standards
Beckett Grading Standards
SGC Grading Standards

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Step 1: Handle Your Cards with Care

✔ Always hold your cards by the edges to avoid fingerprints.
✔ Use clean, dry hands or wear lint-free gloves.
✔ Work on a clean, flat surface with good lighting.

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Step 2: Check for Surface Issues

Closely examine the card under a bright light or magnifying glass for:
❌ Deep scratches, scuffs, or print lines
❌ Creases or dents

💡 If the card has deep scratches, creases, or major print defects, it is likely NOT a good grading candidate.

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Step 3: Inspect the Card’s Centering

✔ Compare the left/right and top/bottom borders—ideally, they should be even.
✔ A card that is significantly off-center may not grade well, even if the rest is flawless.

💡 Severely off-center cards may not be worth grading unless they are extremely rare.

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Step 4: Examine the Edges & Corners

✔ Look at the edges under a light for whitening, chipping, or rough cuts.
✔ Check all four corners—sharp corners are key for high grades.

❌ If your card has obvious whitening or creased/dented corners, grading may not be worthwhile.

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Step 5: Avoid Sending Damaged Cards

At GPS, we want to help you maximize your card’s appearance, but certain issues are permanent, including:
❌ Creases or bends
❌ Major surface scratches
❌ Noticeable whitening or edge damage

💡By pre-screening your cards before sending them, you help us focus on making sure your best cards get the highest grades possible!

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Final Reminder: Only Send Cards That Are Worth Grading

If you’re unsure whether a card is worth grading, check recent graded sales online or contact GPS for advice.

Thank you for trusting GPS with your trading card preparation needs!