PSA Dominates Trading Card Grading Market as Collectors Treat Cards as Alternative Investments
Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA) maintains a dominant position in the trading card grading industry, accounting for approximately 65% of all grading volume as of August. This market leadership is driven by the 'gold standard' reputation of PSA grades, which often command significantly higher resale prices on the secondary market compared to competitors like CGC. For example, a high-grade Charizard card recently fetched nearly double the price of an equivalent grade from a rival. Despite facing massive backlogs—which peaked at 12.4 million items in July before dropping to 7.2 million in October—collectors and investors continue to prioritize PSA due to these premium returns. The company's control over pricing, service availability, and grading standards gives it substantial influence over the broader trading card economy, which has evolved from a hobby into a serious alternative investment class.
Topics: Collectibles Market Pokemon TCG PSA Backlog Trading Card Grading