August '23 Grading Recap
Published September 2nd, 2023
- Overall grading activity was up 21% in August vs July (and up 30% YoY);
August grading activity crossed 1.53 million cards - a new record - narrowly surpassing the March '23 results
- PSA graded 1.23m cards - up 18% vs July and up 38% YoY
- SGC graded 118k cards - up 25% vs July and up 58% YoY
- CGC graded 106k cards - up 52% vs July and down 38% YoY
- Beckett graded 75k cards - up 31% vs July and up 82% YoY
- Overall grading activity was up 21% in August vs July (and up 30% YoY);
August grading activity crossed 1.53 million cards - a new record - narrowly surpassing the March '23 results
- PSA graded 1.23m cards - up 18% vs July and up 38% YoY
- SGC graded 118k cards - up 25% vs July and up 58% YoY
- CGC graded 106k cards - up 52% vs July and down 38% YoY
- Beckett graded 75k cards - up 31% vs July and up 82% YoY
August Grading Summary
August Grading Summary - Sports
August Grading Summary - TCG+
Items Graded - by Month
Items Graded - by Month - Excluding PSA
Category Comparison
TCG Cards Graded at PSA
Items Graded by Era
Gem Rate Breakdown by Era
August 2023 PSA Grading Recap
- PSA graded 1,232,839 items during August; total output was up by 18% vs July and up 38% year-over-year.
- PSA graded 1,232,839 items during August; total output was up by 18% vs July and up 38% year-over-year.
Category Summary
TCG activity hits new high
- TCG was 43% of cards graded (vs 49% in July)
- Grading activity for baseball, football, and basketball were all up over 30% in August.
Set Summary - Sports & Other
2022 Prizm football hangs onto the top spot as momentum continues to slow
- Added to the list in August: 2023 Topps Now baseball
- Dropping from the list: 2023 Bowman Chrome Prospect Autographs
Set Summary - TCG+
Japanese Pokemon hangs on to 8 of the top 10 spots
- Added to the list in August: 2023 Pokemon Japanese SV-P Promo and 2023 Pokemon Japanese Sv2a-Pokemon 151
- Dropping from the list: 2023 Pokemon Japanese Sv1a-Triplet Beat and 2020 Pokemon Japanese Sword & Shield Shiny Star V
Player Summary - Sports & Other
Elly De La Cruz makes appearance at #3
- Added to the list in August: Elly De La Cruz and Ken Griffey Jr
- Dropping from the list: Wander Franco and Julio Rodriguez
Subject Summary - TCG
The top of the leaderboard holds as per usual
Card Summary - Sports & Other
Two Victor Wembanyama cards appear on the leaderboard
Card Summary - TCG
Few changes from July
What's Next for PSA?
- PSA set a new record for the number of cards graded in a month, thanks to a resurgence in sports card grading activity. While TCG had been driving most of the incremental growth in 2023, it was likely a welcome development to see such strong performance from the big three sports: baseball, football, and basketball.
- As discussed last month, PSA has a lot of positive momentum working in its favor. As long as new cards are being shipped and ripped (not necessarily a given), PSA should be able to build on this momentum to close out the year.
August 2023 SGC Grading Recap
- SGC graded 118,819 cards during August - a 25% increase vs July and a 58% increase year-over-year.
- SGC graded 118,819 cards during August - a 25% increase vs July and a 58% increase year-over-year.
Category Summary
Football activity spikes
- Baseball activity increased by 23% in August. Baseball was graded more than 2x the next closest sport (football).
Set Summary
2023 Topps Chrome takes the top spot thanks to the $9 promo
Player (& Subject) Summary
Shohei easily remains at the top of list
Card Summary
Topps chrome and a few iconic 80s cards make up the leaderboard in August
What's Next for SGC?
- SGC had a notably strong August, managing to surpass the 100k mark. While their performance was bolstered by the 2023 Topps Chrome promotion, it seems the company was able to boost grading activity in a more diversified manner throughout August.
- Similar to PSA, SGC experienced significant momentum after the National, and the results in August are indicative of that. The baseball promotions continue to raise the monthly floor, providing SGC with opportunities to explore additional demand drivers as 2023 draws to a close.
Other Graders - CGC
Set Summary
What's Next for CGC?
- CGC put together a strong August, primarily due to solid TCG activity. In July, CGC noted a significant influx of submissions, and those submissions started to meaningfully hit the pop report in August.
- Additionally, CGC added several categories and sets to its pop report in August, including many cards and sets that had been graded over the past months. This update to the pop report allows for a more comprehensive representation of CGC's grading activity in GemRate reports. However, it's important to highlight that the August figures don't incorporate the addition of the sets. They only account for the incremental cards graded after these sets were included in the pop report.
Other Charts - Beckett
Category Summary
Card Summary - Sports
Card Summary - TCG
What's Next for Beckett?
- Despite the perception that Beckett is underperforming or not meeting collector expectations, the company continues to report steady grading activity. The results from August were the most robust Beckett has seen in the past year, demonstrating, to some extent, the resilience of a strong brand—even if patience with the brand is waning.
- Beckett's new CEO has now had a few months to assess the company's strategies and opportunities. How soon the hobby will get visibility into its updated priorities is still something of a question mark. That said, Beckett continues to have a loyal base and they presumably would like to hear more from the company in the not so distant future.