Business · Markets · 4 hrs ago
Pokémon card grading backlog falls to 8.2 million items
PSA said its grading queue stood at 8.2 million items on October 6, down from 12.4 million at the end of July.
PSA checks collectibles, including Pokémon cards, to confirm they are genuine and assess their condition.
Collectors and investors may pay more for rare cards in better condition, so a high grade can increase a card's resale value.
Grading helps buyers and sellers judge a card's authenticity and condition, making it easier to trade.
The value is set by collectors and investors, not by PSA or the company that printed the card.
Demand has sent many more cards to PSA, with one adviser saying his business went from sending about 150 cards a week to nearly 3,000 before PSA paused intake of cheaper cards in June.
The queue has since shrunk, but millions of items are still waiting to be assessed.
PSA said its grading backlog had fallen to 8.2 million items by October 6.
The backlog had reached 12.4 million items at the end of July.
On June 2, PSA temporarily stopped accepting its cheapest cards to catch up.
PSA grades and authenticates collectibles, including Pokémon cards.
Grading can help verify a card’s authenticity and condition, which can affect its value.
- Who
- PSA, a company that authenticates and grades collectibles.
- What
- PSA reported that its grading backlog had fallen to 8.2 million items.
- When
- October 6; the article was published on October 14, 2026.
- Where
- Not stated.
- Why
- PSA had temporarily paused acceptance of its cheapest cards to catch up with the backlog.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
PSA announced a temporary pause in accepting its cheapest cards to catch up.
The backlog reached 12.4 million items.
PSA said the backlog was down to 8.2 million items.
- Backlog on October 6
- 8.2 million items
- Peak backlog
- 12.4 million items at the end of July
- Temporary pause
- June 2; acceptance of the cheapest cards
- Company
- PSA
- Published
- October 14, 2026
What people are saying
Grading is a bit like the police of collecting or the one that sets the rules, the judge.
The harder a card is to find, the more valuable it is because you want the best one: the more perfect it is, the more expensive.