PSA Grading Backlog Falls to 7.2 Million as Value Returns at $39.99

PSA's grading backlog stood at 7.2 million units on October 20, 2026, down from 8.2 million on October 6 and 12.4 million on July 28, according to PSA's backlog tracker. PSA reopened its Value service on October 29 at $39.99 per card, its first Value tier since the June 2 pause, and cut 20 business days from its Standard and Priority estimates. Value Bulk is still closed. Here is where the queue stands, which tiers are open, and what is still to come.

Current as of October 30, 2026. PSA updates its tracker about every two weeks.

Where the PSA Backlog Stands

PSA's October 20 update says "existing orders will be prioritized ahead of new submissions." The tracker's figures since the summer:

• June 30: about 12 million, and falling, per PSA
• July 14: 11 million
• July 28: 12.4 million, up from 11 million. PSA pointed to more submissions in higher tiers, shipments still arriving inside the 45-day window after the pause, and convention season
• August 11: 11.85 million
• August 25: about 10.9 million
• September 8: 9.9 million
• September 22: about 9 million
• October 6: 8.2 million
• October 20: 7.2 million

When PSA announced the pause on May 28, it set a target of bringing the backlog down to 5 million units. At 7.2 million on October 20, the queue is still 2.2 million above it. It fell by 5.2 million units between July 28 and October 20, per PSA's figures.

Which PSA Grading Tiers Are Open Right Now

PSA's trading card grading page listed these tiers on October 30, 2026:

Value: $39.99 per card

• Also C$56.99 in Canada, €39.99 in Europe and ¥5,980 in Japan
• Max insured value: $500
• Estimated turnaround: 90 to 100 business days, 120 in Japan
• Reopened October 29, and new orders are processed after the orders already at PSA, per its announcement

Standard: $59.99 per card

• Max insured value: $1,000
• Estimated turnaround: 70 to 80 business days, down from 90 to 100

Priority: $79.99 per card

• Max insured value: $1,500
• Estimated turnaround: 50 to 60 business days, down from 70 to 80
• Formerly called Regular, per PSA's Standard announcement

Express: $199 per card

• Max insured value: $2,500
• Estimated turnaround: 20 to 30 business days

Super Express: $349 per card

• Max insured value: $5,000
• Estimated turnaround: 10 to 15 business days

Premier: $599 per card

• Max insured value: $10,000
• Estimated turnaround: 7 to 10 business days
• Formerly called Walk-Through

PSA lists separate Premium options for cards worth more than $10,000. The new Standard and Priority estimates apply to orders submitted from October 28 at 8 a.m. PT. PSA's page still carried a paused notice for Value services on October 30, even though it listed Value with a Get Started button, so confirm the tier in your account before you ship.

Still closed: Value Bulk. PSA's Collectors Club page marked Bulk Access as temporarily paused on October 30. Value Plus and Value Max, the other tiers paused from June 2, were not mentioned in PSA's October 28 announcement.

When Will Value Bulk Come Back?

PSA has not given a date. What it has said, in order:

• May 28: PSA said the pause is "tied strictly to operational milestones, not arbitrary dates" and set a 5 million unit target
• September 9 and 14: PSA announced Standard, then opened it on September 14, calling it a first step in bringing back service levels
• October 6: PSA said it was on path to assess reopening more tiers in the coming months
• October 28: PSA announced Value and said it plans to keep reopening lower-priced grading, including Value Bulk. Sports Collectors Digest reported the same plan, with all tiers back once the queue reaches 5 million

PSA has also added capacity. Its sixth grading hub, in Frankfurt, started taking EU orders on September 15, after a fifth in Plano, Texas opened in July. Collectors Club memberships that were active on May 14, 2026, and are still active get a free extension for the full length of the Value Bulk pause, per PSA's May 28 update.

What It Means If You Have Cards to Grade

• Cards that will stay under $500: Value is the cheapest PSA option at $39.99, $20 less than Standard, for about 20 more business days on PSA's estimates. Our report on the Value reopening covers the catch: new orders wait behind the backlog
• Cards that could pass $500 once graded: if PSA determines after grading that a card's value exceeds the tier's limit, it will upgrade the service level and notify you of the additional fees, per its coverage policy
• Bulk submitters: Value Bulk is what you are waiting on, and PSA has not dated it
• Other graders are open. CGC Cards listed Bulk at $17 a card (25-card minimum, 150 working days) and Economy at $20 (90 working days) on its fees page, checked October 7, 2026. Our CGC vs PSA guide covers how the slabs compare
• EU collectors can grade closer to home. PSA says its Frankfurt hub offers all globally available service levels to EU customers
• Fee math first. Our guide to whether PSA grading is worth it walks through the break-even test, and how PSA grading works covers the process

Our take: the queue has fallen by 5.2 million since late July, and PSA has now opened two tiers in that time. PSA has not said which tier comes next, and it reopened Value at 7.2 million, above its 5 million target, so bulk submitters should watch the tracker and PSA's announcements.

Frequently Asked Questions

How big is the PSA grading backlog?

PSA reported an active grading backlog of 7.2 million units on October 20, 2026, down from 8.2 million on October 6 and 12.4 million on July 28.

Are PSA Value tiers back?

One of the four is. Value reopened on October 29, 2026 at $39.99 per card, per PSA's October 28 announcement. Value Bulk is still paused, and PSA plans to reopen it as the backlog falls toward its 5 million target. PSA's announcement did not mention Value Plus or Value Max.

What is the cheapest PSA grading tier right now?

Value, at $39.99 per card with a $500 max insured value and an estimated 90 to 100 business days, as of October 30, 2026. Standard costs $59.99 with a $1,000 max insured value and an estimated 70 to 80 business days.

Where to Go From Here

The queue is shrinking and cheap grading is partly back, with Value Bulk still to come. If you would rather collect real cards now than wait on a slab, the Polkastarter marketplace gives you a free mystery pack at signup, and every Lootbox lists its contents, values, and chances before you open.

Details checked October 30, 2026. CGC's fees were last checked October 7, 2026. Backlog figures, prices and estimates are PSA's and CGC's published numbers and change often. PSA says turnaround times are estimates, not guarantees. Nothing here is financial advice. Polkastarter is not affiliated with PSA, Collectors, CGC Cards or the other companies named.

Sources

• PSA: Backlog tracker, updated October 20, 2026, accessed October 30, 2026
• PSA: Trading card grading services and prices, checked October 30, 2026, accessed October 30, 2026
• PSA: PSA Reopens Value Service and Reduces Estimated Turnaround Times for Standard and Priority, published October 28, 2026, accessed October 30, 2026
• Sports Collectors Digest: PSA reopens Value grading service, reduces turnaround times amid massive backlog, published October 28, 2026, accessed October 30, 2026
• PSA: Collectors Club memberships, checked October 30, 2026, accessed October 30, 2026
• PSA: Coverage, checked October 30, 2026, accessed October 30, 2026
• PSA: Due to demand spike, PSA pauses Value tiers, extends Collectors Club memberships, and launches public backlog tracker, published May 28, 2026, accessed October 30, 2026
• PSA: PSA opens new Standard service level and begins grading in Europe, published September 9, 2026, accessed October 30, 2026
• PSA: Launch of fifth card grading facility in Plano, Texas, published July 27, 2026, accessed October 30, 2026
• CGC Cards: Services and fees, accessed October 7, 2026