PROVIDING YOU WITH

Consistent Accurate Grading

Combined with great looking slabs and timely service

Service Levels
Consistent Grading

All cards are reviewed at high magnification

Using multiple tools and various light sources to achieve maximum accuracy in grading each card

Full Transparency

Full disclosure of our grading scale and grading criteria

Wide open look into what tools are used during the evaluation of your cards

Unbiased Pricing

Pricing based on service level you select 

No population control or worries about whether your cards are graded objectively

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Changing the Game

  • Microscopes with multiple light settings allow our graders to quickly change the intensity of the light and level of magnification to best suit that individual card
  • Graders are also provided overhead magnifying lamps, with multiple tools and lighting options our graders are able to combine the right lighting and magnification to get the best look at each aspect of each and every card
  • Published grading scale with full transparency and willingness to disclose how cards are graded and sub-grades are determined
  • Classic sharp look, no gimmick labels
  • Quality control to protect against mislabeled cards, spelling and or grading errors
  • Consistent service times, meeting or beating turn times associated with each grading service level
  • Cards are graded on their merit and their merit alone, no population control or worry about objectivity during the grading process
  • Excellent communication and customer service from the time your cards arrive to the time they are shipped home

Full Transparency

Why Grade with FCG

Operating under a clearly defined set of rules for subgrades, utilizing intense lighting and high magnification in the review process, we have created an environment where all cards can be evaluated accurately and consistently. Whether you're grading with FCG or buying an FCG slab in the market, you can trust that the grades on the label are a true representation of the card you're receiving.

ONE SERVICE LEVEL “FAST”
10 DAYS OR LESS

No upcharge based on value, for autograph grades, or subgrades.

$14 per card

Money Back Guarantee

If customers cards do not ship within 10 business days from the time they are received at our office, customer is eligible for the money-back guarantee. Days are counted in business days, with day one being the first full business day after the cards arrive at our office, with the day the cards ship counting as fulfillment of our 10 day guarantee/promise.

Submitting Cards for Grading

Has Never Been Easier

How to submit to FCG

  • Fill out the editable online submission sheet
  • Print the submission sheet
  • Securely package your cards in the order in which they are itemized on the submission sheet
  • Include your submission sheet in your package
  • Ship cards to the address below
  • Grades are electronically delivered as soon as your cards are graded
  • Cards are securely packaged and returned by FedEx

Forensic Card Grading
545 S Nolen Dr.
Suite 300
Southlake, TX 76092

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  • 24/7 SUPPORT
  • ACCURATE GRADING
  • FAST TURN TIMES
  • GREAT LOOK

Grading Scale Explained

  • 10 GEM MINT
  • 9.5 MINT+
  • 9 MINT
  • 8-8.5 NR-MINT
  • 6-7.5 EX-MINT
  • 5-5.5 EX
  • 4-4.5 VG-EX
  • 3-3.5 VG
  • 2-2.5 GOOD
  • 1.5 FR
  • 1 PR
  • A Authentic
  • AA Altered Authentic

Grading Scale Rules

Final grade cannot be more than 1/2 point higher than the lowest subgrade when the lowest subgrade is represented by either Corners or Centering.  Final grade can be 1 full point higher than the lowest subgrade when the lowest subgrade is represented by Surface or Edges. When the lowest subgrade is represented by Surface or Edges the final grade is rounded up 1 full point only when all 3 subgrades are 1 point or higher than the lowest subgrade. 

In the case of matching lowest subgrades when either of the matching lowest subgrades are represented by Corners or Centering, the final grade cannot exceed that number regardless of the average.  With matching lowest subgrades not represented by Corners or Centering the final grade may be up to 1 point higher than the lowest subgrade provided it averages out without rounding up.

Grading Criteria

We grew tired of the lack of transparency in the card grading industry.  A card would come back a 9 that looked better than the 10, or vice versa a card would come back a 10 that didn’t deserve it. There was no rhyme or reason and definitely no consistency. We knew there had to be a better way!

These pictures below are not intended to be pretty. The purpose of these pictures is to set forth a clear and transparent standard of grading so that when you grade with us or buy an FCG slab, you know exactly what you are getting.

Corners

10 corner, at least 3 of the 4 corners are sharp with allowance for very minor rounding on one of the 4 corners

9.5 corner, tiny bit of rounding. If 1 or 2 of the corners look like this and 2 or 3 of the corners are sharp 10’s, you’re looking at a 9.5 corner subgrade

9 corner, little bit more rounding, the rounding is a little deeper into the corner. If 3 of the corners are 10’s, and one is a 9, you’re looking 9.5 corner subgrade

Another 9 corner, sharpness of the corner is gone, rounded corner. If 2 of the corners are like this, regardless of whether the other corners are 10’s or 9.5’s, it’s a 9 corner subgrade

8.5 corner, 8.5 is really where damage is easily detected by the naked eye. When damage is evident the corner subgrade will be based on the damaged corner regardless of how strong the other corners may be
Another example of an 8.5 corner, bordering on an 8. Visual damage, the structure of the corner is gone

Edges

10 edge, majority of the edge is perfectly straight, no fraying, very small allowance for imperfection

Here you start to see some fraying, some unevenness along the edge as well. If the majority of the edge is in 10 shape and only a small portion of the edge has very minor fraying but the majority is straight, you’re looking at a 9.5 edge subgrade

In this pic the fraying is more severe, the edge appears jagged. If large portions of the edge look like this you’re looking at a 9 subgrade, possibly 8.5 depending upon severity

In this picture you can see unevenness on the cut, fraying, this would result in a 9 or lower edge subgrade

Surface

A 10 surface grade is for the most part void of any surface flaws, nothing visible to the naked eye, allowance for small imperfections under magnification

A 9.5 surface grade would indicate that something along the lines of a scratch, dent, print line, or smudge are present.

This is an example of a fingerprint, surface grades will be knocked down if there are smudges and or fingerprints

Cross lighting allows for surface dents to be picked up on with ease. This indent is barely visible to the naked eye and came from a cracked 9 slab from a competitor

Another example of a surface dent
Another example of a print line
Here is a picture of a minor scratch, while it looks major while magnified and under intense light, this scratch is barely visible to the naked eye
Another example of a surface dent, this one a little bit more major in nature. Were this the only flaw on the surface it would be a 9 subgrade due to the severity of the flaw
Print line with evidence of smudging next to it as if someone tried to rub the line out and not only didn’t get the line out but left behind finger prints with it
As a whole when surface imperfections are evident, the severity of the imperfection and whether there are other imperfections will ultimately dictate the surface subgrade

Centering

Measuring borders accurately on the card itself can prove to be a challenge. Instead of measuring on the card, we blow up images of the borders

This allows us to measure using 1/10ths of a millimeter
 

We then subtract the difference between the two borders and divide that by the total

To scale 7% and under results in a 10 center grade

7-10% 9.5 center grade

10-13% results in a 9 center grade. Additionally when top to bottom centering is a factor the same process is performed

Centering of 80/20 or worse on the back of the card will result in a .5 deduction from the overall centering grade
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About FCG

A viable alternative to the big two where you don’t have to sacrifice the quality of the grading or the look of your slabs.  A place where the consistency and accuracy of the grading is priority number one, two, three, and four, but just so happens the slabs look great too.  Where regardless of whether you are grading a common or a $100,000 card we take the extra time to ensure the grades are an accurate representation of your card. Ownership that understands whether you select 3 to 5 business day service or 30-60 day service that means your grades need to be delivered within that period of time.  Hobbyists like yourself that sat back in  frustration as the grading pipeline not only cracked, but stopped flowing all together.  We took everything we absolutely hated about the grading process and changed it.  Born from that was FCG!

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Click the link below to fill out your submission form and print with your package

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Mailing Address

545 S Nolen Dr
Suite 300
Southlake, TX 76092

Phone

(214) 432-9092

Email

info@fcggrading.com