Card Grading Behind the Scenes

Have you ever wondered how cards get graded? We pull back the curtain and follow the adventure of Adam as he hand delivers his favorite card to the grading service and follows every step of how card grading works behind the scenes.
Visit Cardmarket Grading here: bit.ly/3mTBGRy
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！Opinions expressed in this video are those of the author/video creator and not necessarily Cardmarket.
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[@CardmarketMagic]

Find out more about gradings here: bit.ly/3mTBGRy

[@agentorangecb1]

Really interesting. Surprised the employee with dreads didn't have to tie back their hair because it almost touched the card

[@ricardoblikman2676]

Are you guys ever going to have large cards grading? Eg transformers tcg like psa

[@gmp461]

You should make several designs of labels and do a public poll on them. Don't underestimate the power of a good label design. This is what attracts people. I find the label to be too bland right now. It's missing character or something that makes it stand out. That's a personal thing of course, but I'm willing to bet a lot of people agree with me...

[@timothyvandenberg2905]

Yes, the service looks AMAZING, but the label presentation looks like something from the 1980s, or worse.

[@MelanieV85]

Absolutely, the labels need an upgrade. The rest looks amazing though. Very informative video and may even send in some cards now

[@matthewp2209]

That's why I prefer Beckett

[@3_x_plus_193]

Got any good ideas

[@vernonasian]

Becket black label has entered the chat

[@frenchrepublic2154]

Glad you manage to be more transparent than most of your contenders, about grading of course but also when it comes to technical issues you had experienced over the year ;)

[@AACoCo0506]

This was a great peak behind the scenes. Thanks for sharing!

[@Senshiworld]

Great and very insightful behind-the-scenes video!! We really appreciate that you are so transparent with your work and the grading process and not mysteriously hiding the magic behind all of this. That's unique in this market, I think. Also it's nice to see more of cardmarket's CEO and Co-founder ^_^ We are looking forward to visiting you as well in February!

[@Dr_Dank710]

Neat, glad got to see some grading behind the scenes. First one to offer this that i have found. Thanks!

[@DarrenEstrada-ie9zy]

Welp, another day in the thrilling world of card grading. I bet a lot of patience goes into that process! Props to the team for their meticulous work! 👏

[@michaelgraf6626]

Total sympathische und kompetente Leute da. Place to be was Grading angeht !

[@UrbanAstray]

I'm amazed how often they drag the cards on surfaces while using the microscopes, or generally moving the card around. Wouldn't it be better for the microscope to move then to drag the cards? It feels like all this handling can create even more scratches and issues.

[@Crankbait_Jake]

I thought the same exact thing !

[@jcw370]

The microscope has to stay as still as possible, if it can move then it can shake, & if it shakes it would be impossible to spot imperfections. As for the card, most if not all grading company's will sleeve the card after they do their corners & edges inspection. So it's completely harmless when they're sliding it around the table!

[@PyroExu]

Very interesting video! Thanks for the information and transparency!

[@markushoffsten]

If a Card isnt 100% centered then The business that sold it or the manufacturer need to get me a new on becuse its the manufacturer fould right?

[@clairepitre2644]

Great stuff, Adam! Can't wait for the next video!! Woohoo!!!!!!!!!! :-]

[@loreoflucas4486]

Never would have thought they examined them like this

[@Alexxactly]

Could you potentially make a video on how to prepare a card for grading? The FAQ only describes the process of ordering a grading and sending the cards. Thank you :)

[@matatumbac]

So professional 😮 good work

[@johanskofteby2172]

Wishing for the grading service to open for norway too!

[@PokemonSK]

Amazing!

[@sensei470]

After seeing how much effort is needed for the whole process, i find the prices to be pretty reasonable.

[@dazzothegreat]

Great video thanks

[@notextracted]

I would never think that this process is that hard, w’s for the workers🍷

[@alejandroguerrieri2924]

Hi mkm! I sent my first 10 cards to you. How is the actual looking slab and label right now? Would be nice to see how it looks now to get an idea of how my cards will look like :). Thanks!

[@henrygoveia]

Do the cards get cleaned before inspecting them or do they get looked at as is? Sometimes the protector case gets dust and debris in it, leaving it on the card

[@DonovanMcNabb5]

Having worked at a paper cutting and collating factory, its about pushing hourly quotas and not getting everything perfect and even then it would be hard just to get 9s

[@RCAdome28]

As soon as I saw plandemic mask i was like wth

[@sytsevriend7933]

I do consider sending some cards in. It''s just that the label is kind of bland ,and most of all, the ink and lettering are not so clear. Everything seems to be of high quality except the label. Would love to see that improved.

[@CardmarketMagic]

I do believe this is something that is being looked at. Of course I am not part of that team so I cannot say this with any conviction.

[@rubenmontoya6710]

Hello, this may be kind of odd, but we sell Legos and we have been looking for a label system to put on our markers. I have a question about your printer. Do you buy the labels pre made then print on them? Also what is the name and model number of the printer. Sorry it's not card related. One of our employees is into cards and told us about your label machine.

[@haunss7050]

In Yugioh tcg idk ocg, some cards are impossible to get in perfect conditions even from getting right off their original package(i live far away so idk if the tramsport damage that way the cards) but a lot of boosters cards just come offcentered now

[@ChristopherSmithNYC]

How do you prep thicker relic cards for grading?

[@Bad888Max]

pozdrav svima iz Hrvatske - also sending love from Croatia! 🌌🌈

[@franciscojavierjimenezchav2529]

What printer do they use for the labels?

[@markushoffsten]

So how mouch was the card wourth before. And how mouch is it wourt after? / Sweden!

[@IDKyoudk]

What if the card is graded well, but you damage the plastic case? Does it change the price a lot?

[@mtgurza8246]

Cardmarket is the best in Europe

[@RogerOver9000]

Imagine when the director handed the slab to him, and he showed the slab to the camera, the umbreon inside was upside down xD or back-front xD

[@CardmarketMagic]

That would have made the best bloopers reel!

[@toddburgess3943]

Cool video.

[@LukasPesekCZ]

Hello, I noticed that you encapsulate cards in perfect fit sleeves. I am curious if the corners of the card could get damaged while putting it in the perfect fit sleeve, because cards can get chipped by sharp perfect fit sleeves pretty easily. For example Alpha and Beta Mtg cards usually have slightly elevated corners on the front side of the card and I am worried that those sensitive corners could get damaged while sleeving it with a tight perfect fit sleeve. Thanks for the answer. :)

[@nuggetospaghetto]

Well, sure it can happen

[@jimuwv4127]

How about pressing the back of the case out? If you push real hard you can open the case. You should test that!

[@nyialol2348]

Hey ihr Lieben, wie schaut es mit deutlichen Fehldruck bzw missprint beim Grading aus? Fallen diese mit in die Bewertung ein? Schonmal danke für die Antwort :) Grüße Marco

[@kumbertjoehl-lee8898]

What i really wonder is how they are going to link it to cardmarket. Like will there be an option to send it to the grading service directly after purchass effectivly redirecting it? Will you have a refund policy if the card you bought was fake? I mean there i'm not someone who probably ever gets cards graded but maybe there are people in need of that and linking services would always be good but a logistical burden aswell, just my thoughts :).

[@giom.7244]

You bring up a marvelous point. The upselling opportunity should be taken into consideration. In my opinion and marketing experience, the grading service should come at a discounted fee if a card has just been purchased on the cardmarket platform. This would incentívate the buyers to grade their cards vía your company, potentially avoid a substantial number of disputes in regard to card’s authenticity and also encourage new sellers (within few o no reviews) to start off on your platform. Cheers

[@cr4cker394]

@@giom.7244 dont you think people would like to see their bought card before deciding if they want to grade it

[@giom.7244]

@@cr4cker394 it all depends on the card’s value in my opinion. The risk of buying a fake/proxy is way greater than spending a few extra euros on the grading. New sellers would benefit from it a lot. Also, grading is not the only service mkm could provide. Checking if a card if real or fake and examine it in relation to mkm’s “Card condition” guide (present on their website) would be very useful. If marketed and positioned correctly, this addition service could be offered as a valid alternative without the risk of cannibalism toward the grading service.

[@cr4cker394]

@@giom.7244 if I get sent a fake, cardmarket will refund me. That one of the reasons i buy there, they are pretty safe. Also, i collect german cards and there are not a lot of fakes in that language. And the fakes that were done are easy to spot.

[@Ryuk_oga]

Does anyone know, what Label Printer they are using?

[@sebastianfaustmann637]

Ich glaube das ich da meine Turtoks gesehen habe 😁😁😁

[@christopherk7920]

If I am a slab collector, the overall look of it is very very important. So far ARS fr Japan is the best despite being fairly new in the grading services industry

[@freakofnature1yo]

can't believe how big of a market TCG's have become

[@ProfessorWillow]

They take better care of the cards than PSA

[@bangla996]

i dont know how so many grading companies can invest so much resources and still overlook the importance of having a good looking label. it seriously doesnt matter how good or transparent your process is.

[@will.7]

Agreed, looks so plain and boring. Even the fonts look rough

[@donoella235]

You guys look professional. Please do something with your label. The letter type could be better. I am thinking of sending in a card or two. Greetings from the Netherlands 🇳🇱

[@CardmarketMagic]

After popular demand, we did indeed get the label changed :) www.reddit.com/r/mtgfinance/comments/vha113/cardmarket_grading_changes_their_label_and_slab/?

[@ericlundquist3466]

I want the job of making labels

[@shahlegno5890]

Make sure to redesign the label with many option and take a poll from public.

[@thuglyfeoscar]

Sonic welders do produce heat through friction

[@Widderic]

A 9.5 right out of the packaging and into a sleeve? Dang... mine are prob gonna be 1's and 2's. I played with my 1st gen pokemon cards in middle school back when they came out, then they were in a binder for 25 years, they've been double sleeved for a cpl years now. I think I might still get my top 10-25 graded though. Would be cool to have them sealed regardless.

[@chlebo21]

How does cardmarket grading compare to other grading companies like bgs, psa etc.

[@CardmarketMagic]

We'll let you know if ever they let us film in their offices as well 😉

[@vornamenachname4756]

@@CardmarketMagic Have you ever graded cards that had been graded previously by other companies to see whether you agree with their grading?

[@AquaticGems]

​@@CardmarketMagicI think he's just talking about the service they provide. You don't need to see inside their hq to know if they're grsding is consistent or reliable

[@BeatsandBox]

Ich würde gerne über 100 Karten einsenden und frage mich, wie lange dies ca. dauern wird und ob das vielleicht etwas sehr viele Karten auf einmal sind. Oder ist das gar kein Problem für euer Team? Über eine zeitnahe Antwort würde ich mich freuen, danke! :)

[@Xhadp]

5:51, If I was getting my card graded I wouldn't want it be held like that during a professional process where it has the chance to bend under the handler's care.

[@lucasperrella9280]

I can't find this address anywhere. Where in Bielefeld is the grading headquarters?

[@vornamenachname4756]

I don't think they want you to find them with all those high-value cards lying around during working hours...

[@lucasperrella9280]

@@vornamenachname4756 but you're able to go to the headquarters and hand deliver your cards for grading. It's one of their options

[@ximiony]

Schöttmarsche Straße 79a in 32791 Lage

[@rahiqalam]

Card grading is a super cool process to watch, but I think there are problems with the way grading is done here. Grading is a process of deciding how good a card looks objectively, but it is performed by humans who have their own personal subjective biases leading them to unfairly grade cards sometimes. A new start-up called Automated Grading Systems (AGS) grade cards with AI to grade each card as fairly as possible. The process is entirely computerized so they grade cards faster and without worry of human biases. This also speeds up the process of grading significantly and lets collectors have their cards within 2 months instead of the 6-12 month wait times of companies that grade by hand. There are so many upsides to the AI grading of AGS that I think this is the future of grading.

[@AttackOnFullMetal]

Humans will always have better judgement than bots on what looks nicer

[@rochellelutz2218]

I still have not seen how much it costs to have Cards graded? Is there a specific price for each card?

[@CardmarketMagic]

You can find it here: www.cardmarket.com/de/Magic/Grading

[@mr.speyside5240]

When a safe is opened by two different people that’s called dual control.

[@esaugalindo4733]

You guys try to make that video look to fancy!! I can’t believe I can’t believe I watched four minutes of it.

[@danw3735]

I wouldn't send it to the Germans, they are heavily into perfection, it would be super hard to get a 10 :D Joking*** They look super professional

[@Jdjsksjdhdj]

How much can I wright off on my taxes for grading?

[@josemiguellopezdiaz3167]

Yo llevo esperando 6 semanas y todavía no sé nada de mis tarjetas

[@sir_marty1539]

Everything Perfekt But Pls Change the Label to Something Like Becket or PSA has

[@CatchGravity]

Isn't wearing gloves damage the card? Just wondering

[@ohooo6608]

I would like it much more if the detail grades (corners grade, surface grade and so on) would be on the back of the label

[@AliWall]

Coll. Now I need pool some good card what to send you.

[@dicksonchan1717]

what if the grader put a pen mark on the card mistakenly 😵‍💫

[@Smilepunkllc]

Wait…was t mtg the first tcg? It hasnt been 150 years since right? Am i trippin?

[@justinmadrid8712]

I personally think grading is stupid but this is pretty cool.

[@AlmightyAddman]

Are the cards sealed with dry nitrogen or purged in any way? Otherwise they are being trapped in a potentially moist sealed environment which could lead to spore growth or condensation etc

[@narutofan7727]

sir how much is the fee for that? thnk u

[@CardmarketMagic]

20€ per card, or 190€ for 10 cards

[@narutofan7727]

@@CardmarketMagic thnk u sir

[@LarsIsReal]

But Bielefeld doesn't exist.

[@deniz9764]

Ok. Also Existiere ich auch nicht. 😂

[@airforceone6523]

I cant believe everyone is oblivious to the fact, card graders can swap a psa10 card to a card psa9 they already have. Only time they cannot swap cards is if it is very rare card. Like the pikachu illustrator. I mean charizard is rare, but there is enough printed to swap a psa9 charizard they already have to a psa10 charizard for them to keep. How would you know they swapped it?

[@CardmarketMagic]

Because this would be such a weird niche corner case and an unnecessary risk for them to take. Even in all the graders in the world, I doubt there are more than a handful of graders that have ever done this it least once :) it would require an unbelievably specific set of circumstances for even a crooked person to do this and they would get very little value for their risk

[@airforceone6523]

@@CardmarketMagic little value? A psa9 difference price to a psa 10? Depending on card. 10,000 vs 50,000?$$$ You would be so ignorant if you think these card graders wouldnt swap a card to a psa9 card from a 10. If a cop can break the law and make fake charges on innocent victims, a doctor can be negligent, a nurse can be lazy and not do proper intense care on patience, a lawyer can lie infront of a judge and court. You really think a “card grader” wont change a ps9 card to a psa10 card? I will never believe they would never do this

[@CardmarketMagic]

@airforceone6523 I'm sorry but this is a pointless debate 😅 have a good day

[@cv_justice4774]

Wait you do the card grading in BIELEFELD ? what the hell my hometown....but why ? heres nothing special xD

[@drdandalf]

The legal portion of this grading office is REALLY appealing. That would make cards truly hold their value more than other grading services, because now it's not a demand-based value. Its a legal value.

[@jurgmanmifsud9131]

It is better you introduce a proper case system on your website and proper customer service

[@PokeAmp]

off center is a 9 weird iv seen PSA cards that are 10 an they just add OC so 10OC the quality is still 10 its just not center

[@ladiesman2048]

But you can't play with the card anymore if you put it inside some plastic case :(

[@PokemonSK]

Why would you send card for grading and sealing to plastic case if you would like to play it in a game :D

[@timw5938]

The label is ugly. If you fix it, i would use your service

[@kurt8888]

The mask, lol.

[@ice2coolx]

Imagine travelling the train without a medicinal mask and then put it on a video as well. The grading is so lenient on the ratings, that I wont consider them accurate. 60/40 gets a 9? Jesus 55/45 must be gem mint 10!

[@sytsevriend7933]

I see that as a plus (with centering alone). I'd hate to see an almost perfect card get a lower grade simply because it's centering is slightly off

[@ice2coolx]

@@sytsevriend7933 I mean its an almost perfect card, it getting an almost perfect grade seems the perfect solution doesn't it?

[@lssj_broly3272]

Ihr müsst euch unbedingt ein neues Label ausdenken

[@Tespai]

Hyping the own company sounds always super akward to me.

[@emptysociety7707]

Who starts a grading service when PSA rules the world lol....don't know what to say !

[@15000000th]

Blue gloves.... FFS lol

[@esaugalindo4733]

It looks like a high school laboratory. Lol

[@Goggidan]

Curd

[@stevesharts361]

How card grading works.... Hope the person grading your card isn't having a bad day 🙄

[@rapkdmi]

Pls change case and label, jesus christ.

[@promonteiro]

The design of the label is sloppy and too plain.

[@MTGFoil]

Card graders wearing gloves, manager (that never grades and is just there for the interview) passes the 9.5 card over to another grader with bare hands. Jeej amazing! I'll send all my cards now!

[@dcm9536]

You can literally see the reflection of the sleeve the card is in when it gets handed over lmao

[@seansy1987]

I can absolutely promise you grading is a scam as someone inside

[@FabianPyka]

They need to work on their labels as they generic as hell

[@ArCtic2509]

Please make a better case it’s just not pretty. Bitte Leute das Case mit der Schrift ist nicht hochwertig und hässlich. Ich warte bis das sich ändert

[@user-hm5zb1qn6g]

You were wearing a mask while talking to a camera? Jeezus fk.

[@chaosagent6824]

do you realize hes in a train? and it was filmed in 2022? like, you aint this stupid, right?

[@lp2156]

Is this a video where an employee is praising the company he works for?

[@CardmarketMagic]

Unbelievable! 😱 the conspiracy continues if you look at who published the video!

[@lp2156]

@@CardmarketMagic No conspiracy, just bad business ethics not fit for the time they're practiced in.

[@1nico517]

@@lp2156 do you have a fit every time you see an advert in your daily life? 😂

[@lp2156]

@@1nico517 Nah, only when someone tries to disguise their adverts as something else.

[@ascardena4076]

Niemals aber auch NIEMALS zeigt man den BART eines Schlüssels in einem Video, das ist mehr als dumm. es gibt Software die in der Lage ist, aus einem Foto verschiedene Perspektiven zu errechnen, anhand derer sich die Tiefe der Einkehrbungen im Bart des Schlüssels bestimmen lässt

[@nuggetospaghetto]

Das is jetzt blöd für die lieben Menschen, die ihre Karten in dem Safe haben. Huch, das bin ja auch ich.

[@momipoperzikuss5570]

Schneid dir nen neuen... 😇

[@esaugalindo4733]

But what certification or organization gave these crad graders their ability to certified and be a certified grading company people don’t ask? Card grading is highway robbery

[@shaneownbey]

lose the mask!