October '22 Grading Recap

November 2nd, 2022
  • The total cards graded across the major graders increased by 1% in October vs September.
  • PSA output dipped slightly (-3%) but remained over 1 million for the second consecutive month (1.04m).
  • SGC, CSG, and CGC all saw noteworthy increases in activity during October; Beckett activity slowed during October.
October Grading Summary
Items Graded - Weekly in 2022
Items Graded - By Week Since May - Excluding PSA
Category Comparison
Items Graded by Era
Gem Rate Breakdown by Era

October 2022 PSA Grading Recap

  • PSA graded 1,047,413 items during October - down 3% vs September and up 64% year-over-year.
  • TCG and non-sport saw the largest increases in activity during October.
  • 67% of the cards graded in October were manufactured during or after 2010 (compared to 62% in September).

Category Summary

TCG and non-sport had the largest increases during October

Set Summary

1999 Pokemon Game finally falls from the top spot

  • For the first time in 9 months, a new set sits atop the leaderboard - 2021 Prizm football
  • Added to the list in October: 2021 Pokemon Celebrations Classic Collection, 2021 Pokemon Sword & Shield Evolving Skies, and 1986 Fleer basketball
  • Dropping from the list: 2021 Pokemon Sword & Shield Shining Fates, 2020 Pokemon Sword & Shield Vivid Voltage, and 2016 Pokemon XY Evolutions

Player Summary

Pokemon activity jumps

  • Added to the list in October: Trevor Lawrence
  • Dropping from the list: LaMelo Ball

Card Summary

Ultra-modern Pokemon take control of the leaderboard

What's Next for PSA?

  • PSA put together a solid October following a record-breaking September. This is a good sign for PSA as pricing is currently very competitive and is likely to remain so for the foreseeable future. While pricing moves from competitors yielded some positive results, the competition remains meaningfully off their 2022 peaks. As pricing continues to drop (PSA launched a November special), the opportunity for competitors to differentiate with pricing has shrunk considerably. Looking towards November - a third consecutive month with over 1 million cards graded would be a very positive sign.

October 2022 SGC Grading Recap

  • SGC graded 81,560 cards during October - a 17% increase vs September.

Category Summary

Baseball and basketball had the largest increases in October

Set Summary

2021 Donruss Optic football claims the top spot

  • Added to the list in October: 1958, 1959, 1960, and 1961 Topps baseball
  • Dropping from the list: 2021 Donruss and Chronicles football, 2020 Donruss Optic football, and 1956 Topps baseball

Player Summary

Michael Jordan moves back to the top of the list

  • Added to the list in October: Jalen Hurts
  • Dropping from the list: Justin Fields

Card Summary

What's Next for SGC?

  • SGC made its first major pricing changes since mid '21; those changes appear to have been well received as SGC closed October with its two best weeks since early June. That momentum could be short-lived as PSA has already announced a pricing special for November. Given its recent history, SGC is unlikely to make any further pricing changes in the near term. That said, the market should have a fairly quick read on how far the recent price moves can carry SGC.

Other Charts - CSG

Category Summary

Set Summary

Player Summary

What's Next for CSG/CGC?

  • CSG/CGC both saw meaningful increases in activity during October after sharp declines in September (in part due to hurricane closures). CSG appears to have seen some modest benefit from its pricing promotion during October; however, CSG remains well off its pace for most of 2022. CGC saw strong results in October as TCG momentum appears to be outpacing sports cards of late. It would not be a surprise to see more of the same in November as CGC appears to have solid momentum while CSG is trying to rebuild momentum in a challenging market.

Other Charts - Beckett

Category Summary

What's Next for Beckett?

  • Beckett appears to be the grader most impacted by the competitive pricing environment in October. That said, the company looks to be much more aware of the current market - it has been more transparent, responsive, and promotional. While that is a good sign for a company with significant loyalty, the fact remains that Beckett has lost momentum in the grading market. The recent moves are a positive and will help Beckett stay competitive; however, Beckett will need to push beyond table stakes if it wants to re-establish itself as a top two player in the market.