PSA Grading Backlog Falls to 8.2 Million: Where Value Tiers Stand in October 2026

PSA's grading backlog stood at 8.2 million units on October 6, 2026, down from 9 million on September 22 and 12.4 million at its late-July high, according to PSA's backlog tracker. Its four Value tiers (Value Bulk, Value, Value Plus and Value Max) are still paused, as they have been since June 2. The cheapest open option is now Standard at $59.99 per card, which launched on September 14. Here is where the queue stands, which tiers are open, and what PSA has said about bringing Value back.

Current as of October 7, 2026. PSA updates its tracker about every two weeks.

Where the PSA Backlog Stands

PSA's October 6 update says progress at the current rate "puts us on path to assess reopening additional service tiers in the coming months." 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

When PSA announced the pause on May 28, it set a target of bringing the backlog down to 5 million units. At 8.2 million on October 6, the queue is still 3.2 million above it. Between September 8 and October 6 it fell by about 1.7 million units, per PSA's figures, which Heavy also reported.

Which PSA Grading Tiers Are Open Right Now

PSA's trading card grading page listed these tiers on October 7, 2026:

Standard: $59.99 per card

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

Priority: $79.99 per card

• Max insured value: $1,500
• Estimated turnaround: 70 to 80 business days
• 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

Premium 1 to Premium 10: $999 to $9,999+ per card

• For cards worth more than $10,000
• Estimated turnaround: 5 to 7 business days

Paused since June 2, 2026: Value Bulk, Value, Value Plus and Value Max, per PSA's May service-level update. The grading page lists Value and Value Bulk as currently unavailable.

One catch with Standard: in its September 22 tracker update, PSA said Value and Bulk orders sent in before the pause keep priority, so new Standard orders are graded behind cards already in its care.

When Will PSA Value Tiers 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 8: if the pace held, PSA said it would be in position to evaluate reopening a service tier that month
• September 9 and 14: PSA announced Standard, then opened it on September 14. Its Standard announcement calls it a first step in bringing back service levels and says it is not a replacement for the Value tiers, which stay paused until PSA reopens tiers in phases
• October 6: reopening more tiers is something PSA will assess in the coming months, with no date

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

• Below about $60 a card, PSA does not make sense right now. Standard is the floor, with a 90 to 100 business day estimate, and PSA grades Standard orders behind the Value and Bulk orders already in its queue. Our guide to whether PSA grading is worth it walks through the fee math.
• Keepers can wait. If you are grading for your own collection, holding cards until a Value tier returns is a reasonable plan. Just know PSA has given no date.
• 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, Standard included.
• Buying graded skips the queue. A card that is already slabbed has no wait. Check the cert before you pay, as covered in how PSA grading works.

Our take: the queue has fallen by about 4 million since late July, from 12.4 million on July 28 to 8.2 million on October 6, and PSA has opened one new tier in that time. It has not put a date on the next one, so if you need cards graded soon, Standard or another grader is what is actually open today.

Frequently Asked Questions

How big is the PSA grading backlog?

PSA reported an active grading backlog of 8.2 million units on October 6, 2026, down from 9 million on September 22 and 12.4 million on July 28.

When will PSA Value tiers come back?

PSA has not announced a date. When it paused the Value tiers, it set a target of bringing the backlog down to 5 million units, and on October 6, 2026 it said it was on path to assess reopening additional service tiers in the coming months.

What is the cheapest PSA grading tier right now?

Standard, at $59.99 per card with a $1,000 max insured value and an estimated 90 to 100 business days, as of October 7, 2026. Value, Value Bulk, Value Plus and Value Max have been paused since June 2, 2026.

Where to Go From Here

The PSA queue is shrinking, just not fast enough to bring back cheap grading yet. 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 7, 2026. Backlog figures and prices are PSA's and CGC's published numbers and change often. 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 6, 2026, accessed October 7, 2026
• PSA: Trading card grading services and prices, accessed October 7, 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 7, 2026
• PSA: PSA opens new Standard service level and begins grading in Europe, published September 9, 2026, accessed October 7, 2026
• PSA: Launch of fifth card grading facility in Plano, Texas, published July 27, 2026, accessed October 7, 2026
• Heavy: PSA grading update on the backlog and Value tier return, published October 6, 2026, accessed October 7, 2026
• CGC Cards: Services and fees, accessed October 7, 2026