Grading should be explainable, not mysterious.

Transparent grading

Every RAREbase grade is published together with the evidence behind it. We show the images we graded from, the centering ratios we measured, the subgrades for centering, corners, edges, and surface, and a written description of each defect that affected the result. If a card loses points, you can read exactly where and why.

Human review on every card

Condition analysis gives our graders consistent measurements to work from, but no grade is published automatically. A senior grader reviews the imaging and the measurements for every card, confirms or adjusts the subgrades, and signs the record before it becomes permanent.

An experimental service, described honestly

RAREbase is an experimental grading service and we are deliberately open about its current limits. Our methodology, tolerances, and report format are still evolving, and we will publish changes as they are made rather than revising results quietly.

• Authentication is not yet validated. RAREbase does not currently certify that a card is genuine, and a RAREbase record should not be treated as an authenticity guarantee.
• RARE grades are not equivalent to PSA, CGC, BGS, TAG, or AGS grades. They are produced by our own scale and methodology, and they should not be converted, compared, or substituted for grades issued by those companies.
• A grade is not a valuation. Our reports describe condition and keep the record; we do not set prices or guarantee what a card will sell for. If you want to sell, the consignment and trade options on our Services page explain how we handle that.