I was looking at the PSA and Beckett websites and came across a card grading mob based in Australia called Card Grading Australia.
I was wondering whether anyone had given them a go? Apparently they have been around for a number of years.
Given the crappiness of the Aus dollar and the cost of shipping to the States, I wonder whether they would be a suitable alternative.
That being said, they obviously don’t have the “name” and reputation that PSA and Beckett have in the Pokemon community.
whats your motive for grading? using an unknown grading service will not increase your cards value, make sure to do your research on the cases they encapsulate cards in, some cards may move around in the cases of these lesser known graders and result in damage
It was more curiosity than anything else. If I did decide to grade, I would likely go with PSA just because of their reputation.
I’ve never heard of this mob before, I was mainly wondering if anyone had.
Without wanting to sound harsh, PSA and BGS are the only card grading companies where your investment in grading fees is worth it. PSA is the industry standard for Pokemon cards and while they may be expensive, especially with the relative strength of the USD, the increase in value of your cards if graded high will be maximized with PSA grading.
For any who may disagree, that’s fine, but know that PSA is the industry standard for a reason. They are the most recognized, have solid customer service, reliable grading standards, and the widest range of knowledge of Pokemon cards. Trying another grading service would not be the best idea and in my opinion would be a waste of money, pure and simple.
I have used Card Grading Australia before. They are great and the service was good. However Pokemon cards move around in their case. The cards are loose in the case and will move around. It was this reason that I decided to grade my cards through PSA. The cards are more secure in the PSA case. PSA is also a more recognized and respected company than Card Grading Australia. Your cards will gain more value through PSA.
Its up to you though. Both are great!
I have thought about giving them a go but would not send in anything super valuable to start off. The news that cards move is a big turn off but i’ve heard the report you get back on your card is quite comprehensive as opposed to just getting a grade without an individual explanation.
PSA do make screw ups and there are members here whose cards have been damaged or crushed by PSA. I can’t see CGA ever being a good investment option for pokemon though, Australia’s market is virtually non existent compared to the US where PSA is based.
I have graded cards through PSA for a few people in Australia. Ask PokemonSyndicate as he is my main Australian sender. The cost per card along with the return shipping charge is usually much cheaper than what PSA offers for other users. As I really only grade using the monthly bulk specials to save on the cost.
I offer my services because I can’t afford to send 50 cards myself a month. As that is just way to Expensive.
I did look at using CGA when I was looking to encapsulate my For Position Only cards. Decided against it as I couldn’t find any real feedback about the company and I didn’t want to send cards worth $4,000 AUD to somewhere I had never used before.
Whilst PSA initially said yes to grading my cards, they did backflip on this decision. I was extremely upset, but I got in contact with their customer service team and we worked something out. PSA might be a little expensive with their postage, but I am more than happy to go with them, just based on my own experiences 
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Gav.
I’ve had a Charizard 1st edition from CGA, I can confirm that it did move around quite a lot in the case, so much so that I believe it could damage the card if the case was shaken hard enough.