A Step by Step Guide to Preparing Your Cards for SGC (and my First Time Grading Ever!)

I officially love sports card grading!

It can be daunting to know which cards to grade and how to prepare you cards to grade at SGC.

I’m going to break down the steps that I took to prepare my cards for grading by SGC (that’s Sportscard Guaranty Corporation for the uninitiated) in a way that even your nan could follow. I think that I had pretty good success for my first time.

Ready? Let’s go!

Before you even start to look at cards to grade, you should download the SGC mobile app.

How to Use the SGC App to Start an Order

Let’s dive into the SGC app and get those cards ready for grading. Here’s a simple guide to starting an order, without any of that techy mumbo jumbo.

Step 1: Download the App

First things first, head to your app store. If you’re on an iPhone, hit the App Store; if you’re an Android user, swing by Google Play. Search for “SGC Grading” and hit that download button.  Here’s the link to the SGC page with both for your convenience.

Step 2: Sign In or Create an Account

Once the app is installed, open it up. If you’ve got an account, sign in with your email and password. If not, no worries! Just tap “Create Account” and fill in the usual details—name, email, password. You’re in!

Step 3: Start a New Order

Now, let’s get to the fun part. Tap on “New Order” on the main screen. You’ll have to choose between:

• *Standard Card Grading
• *Topps Chrome Special (Sale promotion)
• *TCG Card grading

This will take you to the order setup page. Here, you’ll add details about each card you’re sending in.

Step 4: Enter Card Details

For each card, you’ll need to fill in:

• Card Manufacturer (like Topps, Bowman, etc.)

• Year (the year the card was released)

• Card Number (found on the card)

• Player’s Name (the star on the card)

• Declared Value (estimate of what you think the card is worth)

Step 5: Review and Confirm

Searching for and adding cards with the SGC App interface search is super duper easy.  But you always want to double-check your entries to make sure everything’s accurate. Once you’re happy with it, tap “Review Order.” If all looks good, hit “Submit.”

Step 1: Gather Your Supplies

First things first, you need to gather all the necessary supplies. Think of it as prepping for battle – you wouldn’t go in without your gear, right?

• Soft card sleeves (penny sleeves)
• Rigid card holders (semi-rigid or top loaders)
• Microfiber cloth (trust me, it’s essential)
• Cardboard or a sturdy box
• Labels and a pen

The Deyimmei Sports Cards Grading Kit (affiliate link) is a big helper.  While you don’t “need” this kit…it certainly has everything PLUS more that you can use to make sure that your cards are the “best they can be” before shipping for grading.  I will eventually do a full review of the grading kit on this website.

Pro Tip: If you don’t have a microfiber cloth, the sleeve of your old Sox jersey will do in a pinch. Just make sure it’s clean, ya’ filthy animal.

Step 2: Inspect Your Cards

Next, take a good, hard look at your cards. This isn’t the time for rose-colored glasses; you need to be brutally honest. You’re looking for:

• Corners: Are they sharp or dinged?
• Edges: Any fraying or nicks?
• Surface: Scratches, dents, or print defects/print lines?
• Centering: Is the image smack dab in the middle? 

Checking the above is where the grading kit above really came in handy.  With the microfiber cloths, the gloves, the magnifying inspection tools, and the centering tool…you really can get a good look or feel what is wrong/not wrong with your cards before sending them to grade.  In fact, during this inspection process I actually dropped 2 cards that I was going to grade but I didn’t feel as confident about after a detailed inspection.

Step 3: Clean Your Cards

Now comes the fun part – cleaning your cards. This step can make or break your grading results.

1. Wash your hands. Seriously, do it. Oily, unclean hands leave marks and fingerprints with more regularity than cleaned hands.
2. Use a microfiber cloth to gently wipe the surface of each card. Be careful not to press too hard or you’ll leave marks.  

Pro Tip:  Your going to want to wipe from the center OUTWARD in all directions.  Never drag a cloth INWARD from the edges toward the center less you risk fraying, pulling, dinging, denting an edge or a corner. Avoid using household cleaners. You’re cleaning a card, not the kitchen floor.

Step 4: Sleeve and Protect

Once your cards are sparkling clean, it’s time to sleeve them up.

1. Slide each card into a soft card sleeve. Go slow to avoid damaging the edges.  To help, you can make a half inch cut on one edge of your soft sleeve to make the insert safer on your corners.

Here’s a great video of what I mean with the soft sleeves;

2. Place the sleeved card into a rigid card holder. Semi-rigid holders are preferred for grading submissions.

Pro Tip: If you struggle with the rigid holders, you can use top loaders. Or if the card is too thick for a safe insertion into a semi-rigid. Just be aware that SGC prefers semi-rigids.

Step 5: Label Your Cards (Optional – I didn’t do this)

Labeling your cards ensures that they don’t get mixed up during the grading process. Here’s how:

1. Write a label for each card with your name and contact info.
2. Stick the label on the card holder, not on the card itself.

Step 6: Prepare for Shipping

Time to pack up and ship your cards to SGC.

1. Place your labeled cards in a sturdy box with some padding (bubble wrap, newspaper, etc.).
2. Include a packing slip with your contact info and details of the cards you’re sending. (Optional – Again, I didn’t do this but some people DO suggest it.)
3. Seal the box and label it with SGC’s address and your return address.

Pro Tip: Use a shipping service with tracking. You don’t want your precious cargo getting lost in the mail.

Step 7: Submit and Wait

Finally, submit your cards to SGC via their online submission form. Once submitted, you’ll receive a tracking number to monitor your order’s progress.  This may be the toughest step!

Pro Tip: While you wait, distract yourself with a new hobby. Maybe knitting? Or binge-watching that show you’ve been putting off?

The 5 Cards I Graded: My Personal Journey

Alright, now that you know the drill, let’s talk about the five cards I submitted to SGC. Spoiler alert: I nailed it!

1. 1959 Fleer Ted Williams “Williams Gets His Wings” – 7.5 NM

I snagged this beauty at random on a WhatNot auction for about $5. Yep, sometimes you just get lucky. This card is a classic, showing the Splendid Splinter looking… well, splendid. The 7.5 NM grade isn’t too shabby for a card from ’59. It’s got some minor wear, but it still looks mighty fine in that SGC slab.

2. 2023 Bowman Inception Roman Anthony Blue Foil /99 – 10 GM

Next up is this 2023 Bowman Inception Roman Anthony Blue Foil out of 99, which I scooped up on eBay for a steal. Plan to flip this card, and with a 10 GM grade, it’s like striking gold. Think about it:  I’m a Red Sox fan, Anthony is the #1 Prospect in MLB..not just the Sox, and it’s a pretty card. It’s shiny, it’s rare, and it’s worth more than what I paid!

3. 2023-2-24 Topps Chrome Jaylen Brown “Finesse” Gold Refractor /50 – 10 GM

This Jaylen Brown card is a real gem. Got it on eBay for a great price, and it came back a 10 GM. Gold refractor out of 50? You bet I was doing the happy dance when I saw that grade. Just picture Jaylen dunking while dressed in gold. Yeah, it’s that cool.

4. 2024 Topps Chrome Rafael Devers Gold Wave Refractor /50 – 10 GM

My favorite of the bunch! Bought this Devers card for $55 off eBay, and with grading and shipping, I’m into it for about $81. But man, it came back with a 10 GM. This card is as flashy as Devers’ smile when he hits a home run. 

5. 2022 Topps Pro Debut Elly De La Cruz – 9.5 MT+

Lastly, my 2022 Topps Pro Debut Elly De La Cruz came back a 9.5 MT+. I graded this one at random, having come into a bunch of Elly cards, both graded and raw. Nothing too extraordinary here, but a nice base for a small Elly PC. Solid grade, decent card, and one more for the collection.

Conclusion: Why I Love SGC

My first submission to SGC was a success. The tuxedo slabs look sharp, the prices are reasonable, and the turnaround time is fast. Watching a bunch of YouTube videos on card preparation helped, but the real MVP was the Deyimmei Sports Cards Grading Kit. With the right tools and attention to detail, I nailed the process.

For anyone diving into card grading, take your time, enjoy the process, and don’t be afraid to get a little nerdy with it. Remember, low population cards can be your best friends. According to the SGC POP report, my Elly Pro Debut had a pop of 16, and the “Williams Gets His Wings” had a pop of 13. The other three were all POP 1!

Now get out there and start grading. And remember, it’s not just about the value; it’s about the thrill of the hunt and the joy of seeing your prized cards in those slick tuxedo slabs.