Grader-direct snapshot
US$79.99 per cardAbout A$114 grading feeIndependent Australian guide · PSA
How PSA grading works for Australian collectors
PSA is the familiar single-grade route for many trading-card buyers, but an Australian submission has more moving parts than the headline grading fee. Compare the current direct tier with CardRevive’s published middleman starting rate before you send a card offshore.
Published estimate
40–50 business daysGrader time only; transit is extraCardRevive route
From A$172 per cardPublished Australian middleman starting rateWhat PSA is known for
Know what the slab is designed to communicate
- A single overall grade on a 1–10 scale, with PSA 10 labelled GEM-MT.
- A tamper-evident holder with certification details and online verification.
- Broad recognition across sports cards and trading card games.
Australian submission route
From card decision to grader receipt
- 01
Check that PSA currently grades the exact card issue and review the latest service tiers, declared-value limit and estimated turnaround.
- 02
Choose direct submission or an Australian middleman. Direct customers create the order with PSA, package the cards and arrange international delivery; CardRevive customers submit to the Sydney intake and approve the grading route before dispatch.
- 03
Budget for the full journey: grading, international shipping, possible duties or taxes, insurance choices and the return leg. A USD grading fee is not the total Australian cost.
- 04
Keep a condition record and package each card to the chosen submission instructions. PSA, not a restorer or middleman, makes the authentication and grade decision.
Price and time · not the same service
Compare the whole route, not one number
| Route | Published price | Approximate AUD | Turnaround | What the figure covers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA direct · Regular | US$79.99 per card | About A$114 grading fee | 40–50 business days | PSA grading and standard front/back imaging. Shipping, duties, taxes, insurance and possible service adjustments are separate. |
| CardRevive middleman · PSA | From A$172 per card | A$172 published starting rate | Confirm the current end-to-end estimate before submission | Australian intake, preparation and middleman submission. Restoration is separate and no grade is guaranteed. |
Grading scale
What the grade means
PSA publishes a 1–10 numerical scale. The headline number is an overall grade rather than four displayed component subgrades.
PSA 10 · GEM-MT
A virtually perfect card under PSA’s published standard, including sharp corners, focus, gloss and tight centring tolerances.
PSA 9 · MINT
A superb-condition card that may have one minor flaw under PSA’s standard.
PSA 8 · NM-MT
A high-end card with a small amount of visible wear or a minor print/centring issue allowed by the standard.
PSA 1–7
Condition steps from Poor through Near Mint, with increasing wear, defects or eye-appeal limitations as the number falls.
Restoration and grading prep
Preparation can prevent waste; treatment can also create grading risk
A pre-grading assessment can identify centring, surface, edge and corner issues before you pay for an offshore submission. It can help decide whether the card, service tier and declared value make commercial sense. It cannot predict or guarantee PSA’s grade.
Restoration and cleaning are not neutral in PSA’s published rules. PSA lists evidence of trimming, restoration, recolouring, altered stock and cleaning among possible No Grade outcomes, and says the applicable grading fee may still be charged. CardRevive never recolours and never represents treatment as undetectable.
Questions collectors ask
Straight answers before you commit
How do I submit cards for PSA grading from Australia?
You can submit directly through PSA’s online process and arrange international shipping, or use an Australian middleman. CardRevive publishes a PSA middleman starting rate of A$172 per card. Direct customers remain responsible for PSA’s grading fee, shipping, duties or taxes and their chosen insurance arrangements.
How much does PSA grading cost in Australia?
PSA’s live Regular tier was US$79.99 per card when checked on 9 August 2026, about A$114 at the RBA rate used on this page, before shipping, duties, taxes, insurance or other charges. CardRevive’s separately published Australian middleman starting rate is A$172 per card.
Can I submit for PSA grading from Sydney?
Yes. A Sydney collector can submit directly to PSA or use CardRevive’s Penshurst intake for its middleman service. Direct and middleman prices cover different parts of the journey, so compare the inclusions rather than the headline amounts alone.
Does restoration guarantee a higher PSA grade?
No. PSA alone decides the outcome, and its published standards list evidence of restoration, cleaning, recolouring, trimming and altered stock among possible No Grade reasons. CardRevive does not guarantee a grade or acceptance.
Source ledger · checked 9 August 2026
Open the live source before submitting
Prices, queues, eligibility rules and policies change. These links are the evidence behind the dated snapshot above.
- 01PSA card grading services and pricing Live direct tiers, prices, insured-value limits and estimated turnaround.
- 02PSA grading standards Grade definitions and No Grade treatment of cleaning, restoration, altered stock, recolouring and trimming.
- 03PSA international submission FAQ International shipping, duty/tax responsibility and grading-policy answers.
- 04Reserve Bank of Australia exchange rates AUD estimates use A$1 = US$0.7029, the RBA rate published 7 August 2026, rounded to the nearest dollar.
Intake · Sydney
Send us your worst card.
Start the submission flow, package your cards, and ship them to the Sydney lab for assessment.
$10 AUD inspection per card. If your card doesn't need restoration, you skip the tier fee. If our service has a problem, contact us so we can put it right.
Every card is assessed before any work. No grade is ever guaranteed, and we never recolour.