PSA Reopens Value Grading at $39.99 and Cuts Turnaround Times

PSA's Value grading service reopens on October 29, 2026 at 8 a.m. PT, priced at $39.99 per card in the U.S. with a $500 maximum insured value and an estimated 90 to 100 business days, the company announced on October 28. It is the first time a Value tier has been open since PSA paused all four on June 2. PSA also cut 20 business days from its Priority and Standard estimates, and it put the backlog at 7.2 million items.

What Changed on October 28 and 29

Value, reopening October 29 at 8 a.m. PT

• $39.99 in the U.S., C$56.99 in Canada, €39.99 or ¥5,980
• $500 maximum insured value per card
• Estimated 90 to 100 business days, 120 in Japan
• Open in every PSA region, PSA says: the U.S., Canada, Europe and Japan

Standard, faster from October 28

• Now an estimated 70 to 80 business days, down from 90 to 100. Standard costs $59.99 with a $1,000 maximum insured value, as our backlog report listed on October 7

Priority, faster from October 28

• Now an estimated 50 to 60 business days, down from 70 to 80

The new estimates apply to orders submitted from October 28 at 8 a.m. PT. PSA says opening Value does not change the delivery estimates for anyone with a submission already at PSA, per the announcement.

"We have added an incredible amount of capacity, but we still have work to do," said Ryan Hoge, President of PSA and Grading at Collectors, in PSA's October 28 announcement, adding that the work covers existing orders and making its turnaround estimates accurate.

The Catch: New Value Orders Queue Behind Existing Ones

PSA says new Value orders are processed after the orders already in its building, so opening Value does not change the estimate for anyone with a submission at PSA today. Against Standard, Value trades $20 off for about 20 more business days on PSA's estimates.

The backlog explains the wait. Submissions in April and May 2026 were 2.5 times the volume of the same months in 2025, PSA said, and over half of its late orders came in during five weeks this spring. Its graded output is up nearly 50% in 2026, and it has graded 59 million items in the past three years, more than the 57 million it graded in the 23 years before that.

What Is Still Closed

Value Bulk has not returned. PSA said it plans to keep reopening lower-priced grading, including Value Bulk, and that it set a 5 million unit target in May before fully reopening. At 7.2 million, the backlog is still 2.2 million above that line. Sports Collectors Digest reported the same plan: all tiers, including Value Bulk, once the queue reaches 5 million.

Value Plus and Value Max, the other two tiers PSA paused from June 2, were not mentioned in the announcement.

Value, Standard or Priority: Which Tier Fits Which Card

• Keepers that will stay under $500 even in a PSA 10: Value saves $20 a card against Standard. 90 to 100 business days is about four to five months, so a card sent this week has an estimated return around March 2027, before holidays and shipping
• Cards you want to sell soon: Standard now runs 70 to 80 business days for $20 more, and Priority 50 to 60
• Cards that could be worth more than $500 once graded: if PSA finds a card's graded value is above the tier's limit, it moves that card to a higher service level and charges the extra fees, per its coverage policy. Standard's limit is $1,000

Our take: Value is a real option again for keepers, but bulk submitters still have to wait for Value Bulk. Our break-even guide explains the resale maths, though its fees date from June. You can also compare it with TAG's $29.95 Value tier, which had a 10-card minimum as of October 23.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does PSA Value grading cost?

$39.99 per card in the U.S. from October 29, 2026, with a $500 maximum insured value, per PSA's October 28 announcement. It is C$56.99 in Canada, €39.99 in Europe and ¥5,980 in Japan.

How long does PSA Value take?

PSA estimates 90 to 100 business days, or 120 business days in Japan. New Value orders are graded after the orders already at PSA.

Is PSA Value Bulk back?

Not yet. PSA said on October 28, 2026 that it plans to reopen Value Bulk as the backlog falls, with a 5 million unit target. PSA put the backlog at 7.2 million in that announcement.

Where to Go From Here

Cheap PSA grading is partly back, and the full reopening depends on the backlog reaching 5 million. If you want to collect real, vaulted cards, the Polkastarter marketplace gives you a free mystery pack when you sign up, and every Lootbox lists its contents, values, and chances before you open.

Details checked October 29, 2026. Prices and turnaround estimates are PSA's as announced on October 28, 2026, and PSA says estimates are not guarantees. Nothing here is financial advice. Polkastarter is not affiliated with PSA, Collectors, TAG Grading or the other companies named.

Sources

• PSA: PSA Reopens Value Service and Reduces Estimated Turnaround Times for Standard and Priority, published October 28, 2026, accessed October 29, 2026
• Sports Collectors Digest: PSA reopens Value grading service, reduces turnaround times amid massive backlog, published October 28, 2026, accessed October 29, 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 29, 2026