4 min read

If you are a serious Pokémon card collector, you know the value of PSA grading. Having your cards graded can raise their value considerably. But since the import tariff introduced by the Trump administration, it has become almost impossible for private individuals to ship directly to PSA or other grading companies.

What exactly has changed? And what does this mean for collectors who want their cards graded? Let's go through it step by step.

What does the import tariff involve?

The Trump import tariff is an extra tax levied on goods shipped to the United States. The measure was originally meant to discourage foreign imports and protect American industry.

But the effect on the TCG market was big. Grading companies such as PSA, BGS and CGC are based in the US. That means every shipment to these grading companies is subject to the new tariff.

Collectors used to be able to send their cards straight to PSA without much hassle. That is no longer the case.

What are the consequences for collectors?

The import tariff has enormous consequences for collectors who want their cards graded:

  1. Private individuals can no longer ship
  • As a private individual you used to be able to send a shipment to PSA or BGS easily. That is no longer possible. Only companies with a contract with PSA can still ship directly.
  • That means you depend on intermediaries or grading services that have a running contract with PSA.
  1. Higher costs
  • The extra tariff has pushed shipping costs up sharply. For a single shipment this can run into hundreds of euros.
  • And that is on top of the shipping costs and the grading fees themselves.
  1. Longer waiting times
  • Because you now have to work through an intermediary, the turnaround time is considerably longer. Your shipment first goes to the intermediary, who then sends it on to PSA.
  • That can mean your cards are on the road weeks to months longer.
  1. Risks of intermediaries
  • Your cards are your most valuable possession. With several parties involved you increase the risk of loss, damage or delays.
  • So always choose a reliable grading service that has an official contract with PSA.

Who can still ship?

As mentioned above, only companies that have a contract with PSA can still send cards in for grading. These companies act as official intermediaries and handle the whole process for you.

Why did PSA introduce this rule?

You may be wondering: why would PSA do this?

  • Overload: the enormous rise in grading requests caused extreme delays at PSA. By introducing contracts they could control the number of shipments better.
  • Security: by working with selected companies they have more grip on the quality of the shipments.
  • Cost control: the new import tariff creates extra costs that PSA did not want to pass on to private individuals. That is why they went for fixed contracts with intermediaries.

What are the alternatives?

As a private individual you now depend on intermediaries to get your cards to PSA. But there are other options too:

  1. Grading companies outside the US
  • Consider grading companies outside the US, such as MNT Grading in Canada or CGC, which also operates outside the US.
  1. Local grading services
  • There are smaller grading companies in Europe by now that offer grading services as well. Although they are less well known than PSA or BGS, they can be a cheaper option.
  1. Selling without grading
  • If your cards are not extremely rare, it can sometimes pay better to sell them ungraded. The extra costs and waiting time for grading are not always justified.

Our experience with grading after the import tariff

We have sent cards to PSA several times ourselves. Before the import tariff was introduced that was fairly simple. But after the new rules it got a lot more complicated.

In the end we chose an intermediary with direct contracts with PSA. The costs were higher, but the service was excellent. And honestly? The waiting time was still long.

Our advice?
If your cards are genuinely valuable and you expect them to come back in PSA 10 condition, it still pays to send them through an intermediary. But for lower-value cards you are better off looking at alternative grading companies or simply selling without grading.

Conclusion: what is the smartest choice?

The introduction of the Trump import tariff has shaken up the Pokémon TCG market considerably. What used to be a simple shipment to PSA has become a costly, time-consuming job.

Our advice?

  • Only go for grading if your cards genuinely have high value.
  • Choose a reliable intermediary with an official contract with PSA.
  • Consider alternatives such as CGC or MNT Grading, especially for less valuable cards.
  • Be patient. Grading is a process that takes time, but the return can be worth it.