TanXTanXSyndicate
Graded Pokémon Card Buying Guide
Short answer: when you buy a graded Pokémon card online, buy the exact slab in the photos, check its certification number on the grading company's own website, and compare the total delivered price, not just the sticker price. TanXSyndicate sells PSA and CGC graded Pokémon cards direct from the collection. Every card is photographed with its cert number, shipping is free and insured in the US, and there is no marketplace fee built into the price.
What the grade on a slab means
A grading company inspects the card, gives it a number from 1 to 10, and seals it in a tamper-evident plastic case called a slab. The label shows the grade, the card details and a unique certification number.
PSA grades (most common on the market)
| Grade | Name on the scale |
|---|---|
| PSA 10 | Gem Mint (GEM-MT) |
| PSA 9 | Mint |
| PSA 8 | Near Mint-Mint (NM-MT) |
| PSA 7 | Near Mint (NM) |
PSA also uses half grades from 1.5 to 8.5, with no 9.5. PSA's full standards are on psacard.com/gradingstandards.
CGC grades
| Grade | What it means |
|---|---|
| CGC Pristine 10 | Virtually flawless: 50/50 centering and flawless under 10x magnification. It gets its own Pristine label and sits above Gem Mint 10. |
| CGC Gem Mint 10 | A 10 overall, but one grading area falls short of Pristine. |
| CGC Mint+ 9.5 | A Mint card with premium eye appeal. |
| CGC Mint 9 | Only a few minor manufacturing or handling defects. |
| CGC NM/Mint+ 8.5 and NM/Mint 8 | Small handling defects (8.5) or small-to-moderate handling defects (8). |
CGC's full scale is on cgccards.com.
PSA vs CGC: the practical difference
- Top grade: PSA's top grade is Gem Mint 10. CGC splits its 10 into Pristine 10 and Gem Mint 10.
- Half grades: CGC has a 9.5 (Mint+). PSA does not.
- Checking a card: both let anyone look up a cert number for free on their own site.
- Comparing prices: compare like with like. A PSA 10, a CGC Gem Mint 10 and a CGC Pristine 10 of the same card are different grades and usually sell at different prices.
How to verify a graded card before you buy
- Find the certification number in the listing, or read it off the slab label in the photos.
- Look it up on the grader's own site: PSA cert verification or CGC cert lookup.
- Check that the card name, set, number and grade in the lookup match the listing and the label in the photos.
- Buy the exact slab pictured. Avoid "stock photo" listings when you are paying for a specific grade.
On TanXSyndicate, graded card pages show the cert number with a one-click "Verify" link to PSA or CGC. Where there is a photo of the back of the slab, it is shown on the page too.
What population ("pop") numbers mean
The population is how many copies of that card the grading company has graded at a given grade. A low pop at a high grade means fewer copies exist at that grade. Pop counts rise over time as more cards are graded, so a pop number is only accurate as of the date it was checked.
Why the same slab can cost less when bought direct
On eBay, sellers of trading cards pay a final value fee of 13.25% of the total sale, which includes shipping and sales tax (up to $7,500 per item), plus a $0.30–$0.40 per-order fee. That is eBay's published fee. Sellers usually build that cost into their prices. TanXSyndicate is the same seller as the eBay store tanxsyndicate, but the website carries no marketplace fee, so prices here are set lower.
How TanXSyndicate ships and backs every card
- Exact card: every listing is one specific slab, photographed, with its cert number.
- Cert-Match Guarantee: if the cert number on the card you receive doesn't match the listing, you get a full refund including shipping.
- Free insured shipping: USPS Priority Mail, typically 3–5 business days, anywhere in the US. Orders of $100 or more need a signature on delivery, and orders over $100 are insured for the full price. Most orders ship within 1 business day. A few vault-held cards are marked on their page and ship within 15 business days.
- All sales final: the only exception is the Cert-Match Guarantee. Please check the photos and the cert before you buy.
Keep reading
- What it costs to buy a graded Pokémon card: buyer's premiums and buyer protection, platform by platform.
- PSA vs CGC grading cost and turnaround (2026): grade it yourself or buy it graded?
- How to verify a graded slab and spot a fake: cert lookups, label security features and real counterfeit cases.
- Where to buy graded Pokémon cards: seller fees compared.
Shop graded Pokémon cards
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More questions? See the FAQ or email orders@tanxsyndicate.com.