Things like Olivia Voldaren and Captivating Vampire serve as useful theft cards to creatures, allowing you to trigger Evelyn multiple times
Back borders also appear even on all sides
PSA (Professional Sports Authenticator) Pros: Market leader and most recognized brand in the hobby Highest resale values, especially for PSA 10s Strong population reports for tracking rarity Generally consistent grading standards Cons: Longer turnaround times historically More expensive submission fees Slabs considered less premium in design compared to Beckett BGS (Beckett Grading Services) Pros: Subgrades provide detailed breakdowns (centering, corners, edges, surface) BGS 9.5 and Black Label are highly respected in the hobby Great for modern cards, especially autographs and memorabilia Thick, premium slab design Cons: Lower resale value than PSA (unless Black Label) Inconsistent grading in recent years Decline in market dominance SGC (Sportscard Guaranty Corporation) Pros: Known as the go-to for vintage cards (T206, pre-war, etc.) Distinct black insert looks great with older cards Faster turnaround and reasonable pricing Growing popularity with modern cards during PSA backlogs Cons: Lower resale premiums for modern cards compared to PSA Market perception as a secondary option for non-vintage Less brand recognition with casual collectors CSG (Certified Sports Guaranty) Pros: Backed by the same group that runs CGC (comics) and NGC (coins) Extremely strict grading standards a CSG 10 is hard to earn Sleek, crystal-clear slabs with updated design More affordable submissions than PSA/BGS Cons: Lower resale values compared to PSA, BGS, and even SGC Early label design hurt perception (improved now) Still newer and smaller market share Comparison Chart: Grading Companies at a Glance Which Card Grading Company Is Best
Guests: Steven Chung, lifelong Pokmon fan Courtney Mifsud Intreglia, writer Oliver Soufi, Pokmon Master Jake Federicks, manager at Supreme Card Shop Jason Huggins, co-owner of Tito Rick's Garage Sources: LIFE Pokmon: 30 Years (Courtney Mifsud Intreglia, LIFE, 2026) How Pokmon Conquered America (Courtney Mifsud Intreglia, TIME, 2024) How Pokmon became the biggest media franchise on Earth (Lucy Tobin, The Times, 2026) 'Kids can't buy them anywhere': how Pokmon cards became a stock market for millennials (Daniella Lucas, The Guardian, 2025) Episode 41: Pokmon Transcript Julia Dixon Evans: When California local news fellow Audy McAfee joined our KPBS arts team last fall, she told us a little story about moving here for the job
