Card grading has become an essential aspect of the sports memorabilia market, with PSA (Professional Sports Authenticator) leading the industry. As the demand for graded cards continues to grow, PSA processes an astonishing volume of cards each week, helping collectors and investors determine value and authenticity.
Based on recent data, PSA grades over 360,000 cards per week across various categories:
- TCG (Trading Card Games): 184,544
- Baseball: 55,866
- Football: 54,378
- Basketball: 36,983
- Non-Sport Cards: 8,256
- Hockey: 5,728
- Soccer: 5,584
- Boxing, Wrestling & MMA: 2,594
In addition to overall category numbers, specific card sets see significant weekly grading activity:
Football:
- 2024 Panini Prizm: 7,466 (+18% from the prior week)
- 2024 Panini Mosaic: 3,556 (+2%)
- 2024 Panini Mosaic: 3,556 (+2%)
- 2024 Panini Donruss: 3,070 (+16%)
- 2023 Panini Select: 1,562 (-6%)
- 2024 Panini Donruss Downtown!: 1,163 (+48%)
- 2024 Panini Absolute: 814 (+29%)
- 2024 Panini Prestige: 465 (+20%)
Baseball:
- 2024 Topps Chrome Update: 1,533 (-9%)
- 1994 Pinnacle: 1,271 (+14,022%)
- 2024 Bowman Draft Chrome Prospect Autographs: 1,243 (+12%)
- 1995 Pinnacle: 1,154 (+12,722%)
- 2024 Topps Now Offseason: 624 (+3%)
- 2024 Bowman’s Best: 434 (+44%)
Basketball:
- 2023 Panini Prizm: 1,264 (+5%)
- 2023 Panini Select: 919 (+15%)
- 1986 Fleer: 722 (-9%)
- 2024 Panini Instant WNBA Rookie of the Year: 683 (+11%)
- 2024 Panini Prizm WNBA: 566 (+24%)
- The Importance of Card Grading
How to Prepare a Card for PSA Grading
Maximizing a card’s PSA grade begins even before the card reaches PSA. Proper handling and preparation can make a significant difference in the final grading result.
When opening a pack, it’s important to handle the cards with care. Using clean hands or gloves ensures that you avoid leaving fingerprints on the surface, as fingerprints can negatively affect the grade. Additionally, once the card is out of the pack, it’s wise to use a soft, microfiber cloth to gently clean the surface and remove any dust or minor smudges. However, extra caution is required when cleaning. Scratches are irreversible and can dramatically lower the card’s grade, so make sure the cleaning process is gentle.
Another crucial factor in grading preparation is protecting the card’s corners and edges. These areas are easily damaged, and even slight wear or rounded edges can reduce the card’s grade significantly. It’s essential to handle the card carefully, always ensuring the corners and edges remain in pristine condition.
While some factors, such as print quality, centering, and other aspects of production, are beyond your control, they still influence the final grade. A misaligned design or printing flaw can cause a card to lose valuable points in the grading process. Although these elements can’t be corrected after the card is produced, it’s important to understand their influence.
Once you’ve handled the card and ensured it’s clean and free from damage, place it into a penny sleeve and a semi-rigid holder for protection before sending it in for grading. This protects the card from accidental damage during the submission process.
By carefully preparing your card, you’ll maximize its chances of achieving the highest possible grade. Whether you’re aiming for a perfect PSA 10 or looking to preserve the value of your card with a strong PSA 9, this preparation ensures your card stands out when it reaches PSA.Why PSA 9s Are Becoming More Valuable.
While a PSA 10 is still the ultimate goal, the market is recognizing the value of PSA 9s—especially for vintage or highly sought-after cards. As more collectors realize how rare flawless cards are, high-grade but non-perfect copies are seeing strong demand. This shift is making grading even more critical for anyone looking to preserve and enhance their collection’s value.
The Future of PSA Grading
With more than 360,000 cards graded weekly, PSA’s influence on the collectibles market is stronger than ever. As technology improves and population reports expand to include more memorabilia categories, the value and appeal of graded items will continue to rise.
For collectors, investors, and enthusiasts alike, understanding these grading numbers is essential in navigating the evolving world of sports and trading card collectibles. Whether you’re looking to add value to your collection or track market trends, PSA’s grading insights offer a crucial perspective on the ever-growing demand for authenticated collectibles.
Interested in more PSA grading statistics? Then make sure to check back here regularly