Question 1

What is CardPreGrading?

Accepted Answer

CardPreGrading.com is a pay-per-scan tool for Pokemon TCG collectors. You upload photos of a card, we measure centering and walk you through a guided defect review, then we predict your PSA grade range and tell you whether to submit, hold, or skip.

Question 2

How accurate is the centering measurement?

Accepted Answer

We measure to 0.1mm using a deterministic geometric algorithm. Against professionally graded reference cards, the measurement is within 1mm of true measurement on properly photographed cards. We over-deliver on the math; the variability comes from photo quality, which we validate before accepting.

Question 3

Why is the predicted grade a range and not an exact number?

Accepted Answer

Human grading involves human judgement. PSA, BGS and ACE all use sub-graders with personal thresholds for what counts as a printer dot, edge wear, etc. We give a range (e.g. PSA 8–9) and a verdict so you can make an informed decision rather than chase false precision.

Question 4

What does the verdict mean?

Accepted Answer

Submit means you have a strong candidate at the predicted grade range - go for it. Borderline means it could go either way; weigh the resale uplift vs grading cost. Skip means the predicted grade is unlikely to return your submission cost.

Question 5

Do you support graders other than PSA?

Accepted Answer

Centering thresholds map to PSA's published scale at v1. Most major graders (BGS, CGC, ACE) use comparable centering bands, so the report is broadly portable. Native ACE/CGC/BGS scale support is on the roadmap.

Question 6

How does the AI work?

Accepted Answer

Two layers. First, a deterministic computer-vision pipeline detects the card border and inner artwork frame, then computes centring to 0.1mm. We picked a geometric algorithm over a black-box model so every measurement is auditable. Second, a guided defect review where you confirm what you see in annotated zoom views - your observations are combined with PSA's published thresholds to land on a predicted grade range. ML models for surface/corner defect detection will roll out as we collect labelled data.

Question 7

What photos do I need to take?

Accepted Answer

Four shots: front straight-on, back straight-on, front angled (for surface defect detection), and four corners close-up. We validate each photo for blur, exposure, glare, and card-in-frame before accepting it.

Question 8

What phones / cameras work?

Accepted Answer

Anything from the last 5 years takes good enough photos. We require 1500px on the long edge minimum. Most modern phones shoot at 4000px+ by default.

Question 9

Do I need a special background?

Accepted Answer

A plain, contrasting background works best - a piece of A4 paper, a desk mat, anything that isn't a busy print. Avoid shiny surfaces that reflect the card.

Question 10

Are my photos private?

Accepted Answer

Photos are stored encrypted and only accessible from your account. They're never sold, never shared with third parties, and are deleted permanently when you delete the report. UK GDPR compliant. ICO registered.

Question 11

How long does processing take?

Accepted Answer

Under 30 seconds in 95% of cases. The bottleneck is server-side image processing, not network - we're optimised for fast turnaround.

Question 12

What is the refund policy?

Accepted Answer

Unused credits are refundable within 14 days. Used credits are non-refundable except where the system failed on our side, in which case the credit is automatically returned. Email refunds@cardpregrading.com to request a refund.

Question 13

Can I share my report?

Accepted Answer

Yes. From any report, click 'Make public' to get a shareable URL plus an embed code for eBay, Whatnot, Reddit, etc. You can revoke public access any time.

Question 14

Do credits expire?

Accepted Answer

Never.

Question 15

Can I get my data deleted?

Accepted Answer

Yes - request deletion from your Account page or email hello@cardpregrading.com. We'll delete all personal data and photos within 30 days as required by UK GDPR.

Frequently asked questions