ARS Grading Review! A grading company that can de-throne PSA?

I order my YGO/Pokemon from Hobbiesville.com, free shipping and no taxes since they're in Canada. Extra 5% off with code: Strictly5, if the code doesn't work make a new account and it will apply then.
Sleeves I use: Strictlysealed.com/arcane
Binders I use: Strictlysealed.com/binder
Purchase my products internationally at cardboardconcierge.com (Strictly5 gets 5% off)
If you're interested in supporting me, this channel and my work consider using the affiliate links below to shop:
My TCGPlayer Store (Updated Daily): tcgplayer.pxf.io/an65yN
eBay Store: ebay.us/PHb41I
Sealed Protectors: ebay.us/GMHAkw
Black PSA Storage Case: ebay.us/N82UhF
Screwdown protectors: ebay.us/3uGT0H
Connect with me:
Buy/Sell/Trade Facebook Group: / krakentcg
View my collection at / strictlysealed​
Join our discord: / discord
Want to buy/sell? [e-mail]
Want to learn? / strictlysealed Pick up ARS YGO Slabs here: ebay.us/ti1Rva
Pick up ARS Pokemon Slabs here: ebay.us/nD0kph
I order my YGO/Pokemon from Hobbiesville.com, free shipping and no taxes since they're in Canada. Extra 5% off with code: Strictly5, if the code doesn't work make a new account and it will apply then.
Binders & Sleeves I use:
Purchase my products in USA and Canada at Strictlysealed.com
Purchase my products internationally at cardboardconcierge.com (Strictly5 gets 5% off)
If you're interested in supporting me, this channel and my work consider using the affiliate links below to shop:
Binders I use: strictlysealed.com/collection...
My TCGPlayer Store (Updated Daily): tcgplayer.pxf.io/an65yN
eBay Store: ebay.us/PHb41I
Sealed Protectors: ebay.us/GMHAkw
Black PSA Storage Case: ebay.us/N82UhF
PSA Storage Case: ebay.us/DhcqBL
Screwdown protectors: ebay.us/3uGT0H
My PSA Walldisplay: totalempirellc.com (Use Strictly5 for 5% Off)
Connect with me:
View my collection at / strictlysealed​
Join our discord: / discord
Want to buy/sell? [e-mail]
Want to learn? / strictlysealed
My gear:
Camera: amzn.to/3GMN1fC
Lens 1: amzn.to/3QMtCjC
Lens 2: amzn.to/3QQoURS
Mic 1: amzn.to/3Xxo66v
Mic 2: amzn.to/3XgIGZ6
Lights: amzn.to/3rmphZb
Camera Stand: amzn.to/3sg15Hj

[@StrictlySealed]

Pick up ARS YGO Slabs here: ebay.us/ti1Rva (Affiliate) Pick up ARS Pokemon Slabs here: ebay.us/nD0kph (Affiliate)

[@Firedemonfox]

Do the ARS slabs fit in your Kaiba Case Inserts?

[@StrictlySealed]

They do not unfortunately. Only PSA and CGC. Thanks for viewing the videos.

[@Kennith-sb7nf]

That 'it's Japanese size so it's smaller' had me laughing😂😅

[@thejunkyrd]

Have you checked out TAG grading yet? I think they can overtake all of these other ones. Even their label is clear!

[@fyodor_ivanovich]

@@thejunkyrdAgreed, I’m only using PSA and TAG.

[@locatorcards]

A slab that displays the card like a museum piece and not something to be filed in a cabinet. The addition of a certificate is just the icing on the cake. ARS is in a league by themselves in terms of quality. Incredible quality and slab presentation.

[@LaddiLo]

I never had the urge to have a card graded until I saw this slab

[@lessgohenry]

I like that ARS honors the cards by ensuring they are the focus, instead of purely just the grade. Like you said in the video, if someone is truly concerned about the grade, then turn the card around. Let's get back to celebrating the card and artwork as opposed to trying to make a sale. They are not cards to have a graded price tags, they are cards to be appreciated.

[@dastamararoseyork]

turning the card around just to show the grade defeating the purpose of collecting anything at all to begin with because u can no longer see the card. if u cant see the grade then it looks like any other ungraded card that u can put in a plastic case. so either way its a fail on their end because the way they made the case 100% defeats the purpose of collecting graded cards to begin with. if u collect graded cards at all then u know 100% for a fact that u not only collect the card itself but u also collect the grade too otherwise having them graded is legit pointless when u can buy cases that do just as good protecting ur cards as psa cases do. so if u cant see the grade and the card on the same side, it makes them a useless display piece in a room. if i see these cases im 100% always from now on gonna assume 2 things, #1 they dont care about the value of said cards at all which is the point of having a card graded, and #2 being that to me, cards in these cases will be considered ungraded no matter what even if they say the card is perfect. i wont pay more than an ungraded price for a card in these type of cases.

[@BilingualJP]

Welcome to the ARS Army!

[@leitodwzbill]

We also need a new video from you!!!

[@CasualYugiStuff]

I feel like turning the card around to see the grade maintains some of the excitement of not knowing what the grade is: similar when you send cards to PSA thinking it’s a 9/10 and then you turn it over to find out! Almost as if it’s being graded in front of your eyes there and then!

[@SonicLink125]

My word! That ARS Slab is beautiful! It looks like your card is an official trophy. I love it! On occasion, I've wanted to grade my cards but the labels just never appealed to me so I never end up doing it. But ARS looks fantastic and exactly how I've wanted the label to be like. Incredible. I hope they do international soon.

[@militarySorbet]

thank you for your videos, every time i see one of them i can feel the passion of a collector which i do not feel watching other youtubers.

[@haoujudai]

I’ve never felt enticed to get graded cards UNTIL I saw this one. The design on those cases are absolutely immaculate. Definitely makes you feel as if you’re holding an invaluable item in your hands.

[@Maxmilian.Artistry]

Finally some graded cards that look classy - real potential here for sure

[@heeroyuy9925]

Really amazing video, quite honestly one of my favorites. You did an amazing job showcasing the awesomeness of ARS. I agree with everything you said, they just showcase the cards so elegantly and beautifully.

[@alexmacher7430]

I never liked grading cards because it feels like people are valuing numbers instead of the cards. The price differences between psa 9 and 10s are unjustifiable imo. I usually buy graded cards just to crack them. I agree that this new company presentation prioritizes the card over the grade/company. I will use them if they become available in the US.

[@dongsonlee3038]

I recently asked you about ARS grading and if you can make a video about it. Didnt expect it to be this fast. great to see you take viewer feedbacks 🙌🙌

[@destiny13777]

Great video! Yeah I've seen a few videos and Japanese Twitter users show off the ARS cards they got graded and personally it's pretty much perfect, it really does help the cards feel more like a display piece/trophy compared to the competitors. I really love the label being at the bottom, really puts the card at the center of attention.

[@Alexxactly]

The design and clarity reminds of French grading company CCC. The difference tho is the thickness - their selling point is actually that the case is thin

[@Jarke]

I like how they make the card the main focus and the label below. Looks way better IMO

[@Yugigreg]

When I started the video I was like “Eh idk man.” When I finished I was like “ARS LETS GO!” You sold me bro. These are fire 🔥

[@michelfarah14]

I took the same decision during this week! and as an OCG-only collector, it makes even more sense to have them graded by a japanese company.

[@thorlord2544]

Thanks For Viewing The Videos!

[@TheItalianoAssassino]

I have always been thinking these PSA slabs look terrible. This one actually looks kinda classy.

[@DLegend16]

So a few thoughts... 1. PSA has the largest market share in the grading scene right now, and that's unlikely to change anytime soon despite seeing certain aspects of other grading companies being better than PSA. I hope that these other companies will put pressure on PSA to continue innovating and improving their products and services. They've done a lot on the side of service improvements with the PSA app and scans included for every card submitted, pre/post grading, but they could improve their actual cases and grading guidelines as well. 2. PSA's market value and recognizability is also a key factor in this.. Grading with them GENERALLY makes it easier to sell your cards compared to grading with BGS/CGC etc., and gives you the best value overall. 3. I don't think I'd ever completely switch from PSA to another grading company because the majority of my collection is already PSA graded, so it'd be a significant effort to swap to ARS or another company. 4. I do like ARS' slabs too, they do look like museum pieces compared to the other slabs, and I like that they put less emphasis on centering too. | Thanks for reading my ted talk lol

[@vanesslifeygo]

I can appreciate the humility of the label under the card. In addition, this is how markings are made for the labels for certain collectible gold plated or gold coins (which, due to markups, if you buy, you should always buy used from someone else especially face-to-face, as long as they don't rob you)

[@djentlemanSerg]

Great video and insight man! Personally I would love to use ARS to grade some of my favorite childhood cards that I still have with me. They are in rough shape but they hold so much sentimental value, so the fact that ARS slabs cards to look like trophies and not focus on the grade as much makes it the perfect grading service to display them in such a gorgeous slab. Hopefully ARS can come up with a way to make it easier for us to send our cards in as well.

[@seijryu]

hope to see more series 1/2 ocg cards! they're the best!

[@stargazer4784]

The ARS label looks great! Looks like a prize card of an official tournament or something.

[@OmegaVideoGameGod]

Very nice thank you for telling us about this

[@anobeus4814]

with that font, background, short centered text it reminded me about tombstones which is cool dig the aesthetics

[@levithrockmorton7297]

How hard is it grade them? Id be interested in grading a few but wondered how turnaround times are and the time it takes to start the process

[@jeremyzeeky3024]

Do those ars slabs fit the Kaiba case inserts? Looks really clean

[@_egghead]

I don't have any graded cards, but just at first look ARS slab showcases the cards the best.

[@kartenkiste_tcg]

Nice Video! For me is CGC and PSA the best but ARS locks very interesting

[@sosbrigaders]

I’ve never graded with bgs before. Is it normal to have the card slanted in the case like that?

[@cristersonchee1988]

Graded my Dark Magician Girl 1st ed with ARS last year, have no regrets.😊

[@SchwifTV]

super dope review bro. I had lost a bid the other day to some fireee arARS slabs I was so sad. Now I'm thinking you were the culprit! lol

[@max.wilson]

I’m not much of a Time Wizard fan, but that’s a gorgeous card! Also, ARS has a similar logo to you, so that’s neat!

[@soldiermxdeath]

Is truly amazing this way of grading the card. Looks fantastic and I would like to do it with my cards. I hope when you pick up the Quarter Century Chronicle Side Unity, you can compare the Blue Eyes in prismatic secret rare from this set with the most recent version of Kaiba briefcase on TCG, alongside with the previous OCG version, I guess the prismatic isn’t exactly the same but I’m not sure.

[@TheShadowRealm824]

The ARS logo even looks like your logo, great minds think alike haha 😆 Seriously though, great video. Agreed with all the points you hit on. Loved the ARS case from the first time I saw it from Bilingual Duelist 👌

[@DannyBoy0619]

Damn that’s disappointing they aren’t available for us. I’d love to send a bunch out to get them out in those cases

[@MuzikFile]

does ARS slabs fit into your kaiba briefcase insert though?

[@armandomonreal7460]

Idk, your main gripe with PSA is how they grade centering BUT I think PSA is the best to go with if the card isn’t perfect centering. PSA is the most forgiving for centering. The problem with PSA might be the “population control” also they don’t say what’s wrong with the card

[@Dwellic]

Man if this company was in the states I'd give them a shot. The thought of sending my cards through the mail already makes me nervous, let alone to another country.

[@shadowchamp554]

Yep, 100% would start grading with them but not risking sending some of these cards through customs

[@the_Pancake_123]

Hey do these ARS slabs fit into the briefcase slots????

[@derrickcollinsakaroyal626]

What’s their turnaround time for when you send off I just did a 6 card sub for BGS and paid for the 20 day turnaround time and will already be getting it back after only 10 days

[@silentazn89]

ARS Letssss gooooooo looks beautiful

[@DennisGeene]

All due respect I don't think ARS will become the gold standard for grading. PSA is a American company and the USA will always have controle about the financial value of things. For display purposes I would choose CGC because of their UV protection.

[@chiyoleetch2041]

It’s nice how the card displays itself more like a trophy. If I can translate the Japanese website I might give it a try.

[@austinfair23]

ARS cases look amazing, definitely the best of the 4! When I started collecting cards in PSA slabs I remember being disappointed by how small and flimsy they felt in my hand. Also prefer the number on the back as I find when the number is on the front, that's the first thing your eyes gravitate towards.

[@CostcoFries]

Slab is very clean and nice

[@streiya]

Really a fan of the ARS case and how the focus is on the card itself and not the grade given by whatever bias a company chooses to do so. I'd totally pick ARS for my personal collection, especially since I like to display my cards with figures and other collectibles. They really showcase the cards as art pieces instead of overly focused on the given grade number. If they ever go international I'd definitely become a customer!

[@prev]

Completely agree with you on the centering thing, but at least it means we can get mint OC cards cheaper aha. Thanks for sharing, love the ARS case.

[@victormurillo6956]

These look so beautiful. I’ve always been against grading because it’s kind of a scam and people just care about a number and the card’s worth but this is nice. I’d actually consider Ars to preserve some cards and display them

[@Ghjgfjjgv]

What happened to the video you had reviewing the stone tablet?

[@kennymorelandiii9406]

So go with PSA if you're flipping n dipping cards trying to make money but if you are looking at a slab for just your personal collection this new company is a serious option. I do wish the label was a bit different though as it's not easy to read. I'd prefer a label more like one from the big 3 but will give them credit for doing something different. I do like it being on the bottom

[@watsupdog4]

How do the ARS cases stack?

[@NurseTony]

Excellent video bro. I 100% agree with everything you've said about ARS. When I first heard of the ARS grading, I was kind of skeptical at first until I held one in my hand. ARS slabs are BEAUTIFULLY STURDY! And I do hope that these will get more into the market, especially those that lives in the Western world. Just to point out, I WOULD NOT MIND paying a little extra just to get their services. I do like their labeling on the bottom to indicate more of a, "award' kind of feel. To me, it definitely feels more prestigious. One thing I do want to point out is that, I do find it kind of silly that they would give you a paper certificate. I'm not sure if it's only for 10 grade and up, but I personally think it's kind of excessive lol. Silly but I don't hate it. Again dude, thanks for another great video.

[@Creative.Pursuit]

It's always companies that take inspiration from others and FIX the issue at heart that succeeds and survives. There's going to be another company that takes from ARS and builds upon them and maybe fixes up their grading scale. 10+ makes sense if they change it to cater for centering. Or mention the scale for centering separate and the condition separate. So like 10-8. 8 for centering. 10 for condition.

[@Kelpwoud]

Holy shit, I was hesitant at first but the whole thing really isn't just you blowing their horn but they really provided a great product.

[@nervadaloxqs9468]

Really look amazing..just like you said its look like a trophy . oh man we gonna need you to make your own company for grading cards ! the shitass case from PSA was a killer 😂

[@MegaMrchips]

It’s giving me museum vibes and my collector side is alllllllll for it

[@unrealx4]

When buying graded cards should I prioritize buying PSA over cgc ?

[@Emptycardhouse]

Awesome vid home run on the message. Personally prefer labels on the top but bottom doesn’t matter too much. I do wish ARS made their labels gold instead of silver

[@UknownJuan]

💯% agree! If you are a true card collector, you should appreciate the card more than the grade. ARS slabs are absolutely beautiful. I learned about them first from bilingual duelist.

[@ClearwayCollectables]

ARS Hands down the best grading company. So happy to see this video!

[@Starheroz_DBS]

I've been checking every month to see if ARS has started accepting overseas applications, it's been over a year :(

[@cristhian4036]

The BEST looking case! Like you said, it compliments the card instead of a number. People want a card or a number? I collect mint raw cards only, if they had an international service I would send ALL my cards to them

[@oguru-san]

Btw, the label in the ARS slab is not a label, it's a slab of metal, etched with some kind of etching technology and it makes it even more good looking in my opinion. It's more expensive than a piece of paper label as well..

[@thehomelander1146]

That slab is beautiful

[@joshgilbert9571]

Completely agree with everything

[@1XSTEALTHTWINTURBOX1]

I agree with the ARS looking better after you showed it. It makes me Excited to pick up a Coro Coro Shining Mew from Japan Supplier I use. but I disagree with Beckett being not clear. I don't know what happened to your card. But none of My Beckett cards look like yours. Beckett used a excellent sleeve as well. It is very clear. I send a ton of my Japanese cards to Beckett. CGC I hate everything. They were too strict and now too lenient. I've seen them with badly damaged CGC 10s. Obvious stuff. PSA cases do feel kind of flimsy. But I finally managed to drop one the other day. They don't crack easy. CGC cases Crack VERY easily.

[@blackblack1555]

It's time for ARS to get international attention. In my opinion the best grading service on the market.

[@darkmagician2346]

ARS is good but at the end of the day if you want the most value out your card especially for yugioh and Pokemon it has to be PSA Or BGS. Big cards like LOB blue eyes and 1st edition base set charizard go for way less graded in CGC or any other graded company for that matter compared to PSA OR BGS.

[@StrictlySealed]

Some people don't want to sell their stuff, but have them displayed. It's not always about money fam. Thanks for viewing the videos.

[@darkmagician2346]

@@StrictlySealed ironic. Everything is about money you have to pay ARS as well to get those cards graded

[@lv70rouge]

doies it fit into your kaiba case foam slab cut outs?

[@StrictlySealed]

Unfortunately not. Thanks for viewing the videos.

[@REIDAE]

I honestly like getting off-center cards because it makes that card feel just a little bit more special to me.

[@Koizum1]

I do not grade my personal collection, I just grade the rare cards that I want to sell.. But that Japanese ARS is tempting me because the card looks like a trophy 10/10

[@DunklesNuke]

ARS goes brrrrr brrrr 🔥

[@justinthinkify]

So what is the difference between ARS 10 and 10+?

[@maverickbonato8164]

Always wanted to try them out but everytime I see something I want on Mercari they put the price higher than the PSA 10 counterpart for the ARS 10. I mainly collect pokémon and it happened on like 8 different occasions I think so I just gave up lol. Other than that I think they're the best by a long shot but if I can't try them I can't be sure... Then again I'm a binder guy through and through so I don't mind.

[@ecob4875]

The firsf time I saw ars slabs was the ulti blue eyes of bilingual duelist. That was beautiful af

[@pristinedecision1877]

Yeah, these slabs are bangers. 🔥

[@TheAppreciator]

OC - This is a BIG problem when it comes to Vintage baseball also. Keep up the great vids!

[@universaldrummer08]

As far as slabs go this newer one definitely does a good job of display but I’m not a collector that cares for graded cards just as long as their nice I’m good with it

[@TheConvictedPrince]

These are absolutely sick tbh

[@doomcaliber]

How much did they pay you to make this video for them?

[@donpfiefle]

Been wanting to switch to ARS for ages lol, just sucks that they don't grade internationally yet.

[@deusnightfire]

If you look athe comic book industry, when you compare CGC and CBCS, they noticed that there is a higher premium to CGC because they grading is on the label was what everyone wanted.

[@jacoblin1217]

What...I overpaid so much....for a PSA10 time wizard at 700USD...

[@nateh2665]

Agree. The huge 9.5!!! On cgc is pretty bad lol

[@jacoblabbe9571]

ARS has sick cases ! Shishhhh 🎉

[@ZackeroniAndCheese]

I do like the label on the bottom and grade on the back. However, the metal label is hard to read when viewing the video. I think the text should be colored. Maybe white text?

[@StrictlySealed]

Agreed, I think if the brushed metal was stained white instead of black it would enhance the viewing experience. But I think you can see it in fine person. Thanks for viewing the videos.

[@xTheDarkSidexX]

That BGS slab triggered my ocd super bad

[@mikestar7326]

I'm not a collector but I want to get into it and I agree with you that case is amazing

[@blue-dragon]

ARS looks vastly superior. I hope they start doing business in the EU.

[@BackwoodChong]

I guess value wise doesn’t matter cuz he’s never selling so I understand why the slab switch but for sales wise bad move they never be able to take over psa or bgs. Many grading company tried to get into the grading market and none of them has the longevity between psa and bgs.

[@conayoll]

i bought an OCG summoned skull ultimate rare that was an ARS 7 and i bought it with the plan to crack it but it looks so good in the slab It pops so much compared to other grading companies

[@heeroyuy9925]

goodluck cracking an ARS case lol

[@conayoll]

@@heeroyuy9925 why's that?

[@S78332]

Start your own grading company. You have a Canadian buyer here who will submit.

[@leitodwzbill]

And right before you posted your video, today they annoucement that they're going to have a thiner slab design on Twitter. Not sure if they will keep the current design though. I've been following them since they launched it, and i own like 20 ARS slabs. They look pretty nice. And one more thing regarding the submission is that, not only you need to have japanese address/phone number/bank account in order to submit, whether you can submit and how many you can submit are depends on lottery. And that lottery thing usually happens around 8pm in japan. And i live in California, so i was always sleeping when that happened. Not to mention i have to send my cards to my friend in Japan if i decide to grade with them. Very annoying. If they can open up their service in north america, then i will definitly go for them.

[@bryans1000]

You should have gone over certificate as well

[@chappy9245]

Too bad we can’t get ARS grading here in America. That slab does look super clean & the label is dope too

[@destiny13777]

Oh that's ironic, seems ARS just announced a change to their case design this morning lol It's smaller with a wider label

[@StrictlySealed]

Wait really? Do you have a link? Thanks for viewing the videos.

[@Antonio-hz9rc]

Man I really think CGC dropped the ball getting rid of the Blue labels. They were beautiful especially with the subgrades.