Hello, I am considering sending Scott some cards to send to psa. I don’t have a highly valuable collection so I’m trying to get around the membership for now. I was wondering. Should I have my gold stars graded regardless of condition? A few have slight whitening and one with a dent on the top of card. Would a low psa grade be more valuable than its original raw condition around 70$? I can’t afford to send off alot at once so I’m looking at 15$ to grade per card. Thanks in advance.
Can you share photos so we get a better idea of the damage?
Also are you grading to sell these cards or is your intention to keep them in your collection? I graded my PSA 4 goldstar rayquaza I pulled as a kid and I have no regrets.
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I haven’t decided. Most likely I’ll be sitting on them. My assumption is they could score a 7 or higher. Except the one with a small dent. I would add the photos but my camera quality is crap. I have 3 gold stars. 2 with great front and a few spots of whitening and the dented one. Good color and centering.
Which gold stars are we talking here? Some are obviously more grade worthy than others.
It’s really up to you. Getting them graded won’t really impact the value if they’re PSA 5-7 range, but if you want to preserve them for a long time investing $10-15 to get them slabbed is not a bad move.
People often forget the secret third option when it comes to “grade or not grade”.
“wait”
You already have the card and PSA is not going out of business anytime soon. Keep the card preserved and maybe in a year or two you’ll have a better idea if it’s worth grading.
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I understand. They are probably the least desirable. Regirock registeel and suicune. Gold stars none the less. I think Ill still go ahead and get them graded for aesthetics. And to prevent further damage. Thank you very much for the quick responses. Attached is my card station. It’s were I open packs, sort, and display my favorite cards. 
I had to have my friend take a picture for me. Since I dropped and shattered my phone!
Those savers give the same benefits ( preservation / protection ) as PSA’s slabs anyway, so you shouldn’t have to worry about any further damage.
If you have a limited budget, just grade some NM-M cards. That way, all the prices / fees from PSA, shipping, insurance, etc. all will be justified.
Could you explain a little more about your 2nd paragraph?
I would definitely not grade the Suicune if it’s not mint. Market is flooded with 9s/10s and its not worth a whole lot even at a 9. Again is it worth the trouble grading PSA 7 or lower Regi trio…? I think you’re looking at $125 a card if you’re lucky to get a 7, but again we would need to see them to be sure. I feel you are better off just top-loading them.
If that’s the case I’d grade them for aesthetics. And I don’t know if it’s worth the trouble. That’s why I asked the community. Thank you for your input.
If I had a limited budget and I see my raw cards not being near mint or mint (PSA 6 or less), I wouldn’t bother grading them unless they are valuable or scarce, because the whole grading process is both expensive and time-consuming. So with that in mind, fees / prices won’t be enough to compensate for such low graded cards.
Use this PSA grading scale as a reference:
www.psacard.com/resources/gradingstandards/#cards
If it was me, I’d preserve the cards (or put them in binders and complete collections!) and wait / see. Plus, if I want to sell them anytime, people will be more likely buy my raw cards than say… PSA 6 (or less) cards.
Aesthetically speaking, there are some card protection that look as good if not better than PSA’s slabs.
Right on. I really appreciate it. I honestly believe there’s a chance for 8s though. 7 minimum. I’ll use my buddy’s phone later on to show you guys. Everyone, thanks again. 
It sounds like you really want to get these cards graded! If that’s the case, by all means, send them off to PSA.
Honestly, I truly LOVE the “business” / “investment” side of Pokemon! I actually started buying / selling Pokemon long before I got into actually collecting (2009 vs. 2016). However, that side of the hobby really isn’t for everyone - and it sounds like your more-or-less a collector (which is great). That’s the best thing about this hobby; it doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks of your decision(s) - it’s up to you to decide how to spend / invest and display your collection. So, if you do really want to grade these cards, just go for it!
Personally, the best advice I can give for many people, don’t focus so much on the re-sale value! Just do what you want to do / what you enjoy! Everything else will eventually fall into place after awhile. If you constantly take into consideration the cost vs. re-sale value of everything you purchase, you’re not going to enjoy your collection nearly as much and your collection is just going to become numbers on a spreadsheet.
One of the biggest mistakes I made when I first started “collecting” was not being able to differentiate between my eBay Business and Collection. I’d purchase something for my “collection” and then watch the prices increase and think about the profit I’d make on “X” - eventually flipping and re-investing into my eBay Business. While this was still enjoyable for me personally, I’ve had to re-purchase A LOT for my now permanent personal collection! I’m now at the point where anything within my personal collection stays within my personal collection - and I’m able to enjoy everything much more!
I completely understand. I do the exact same thing. Especially with playable cards these days. My main focus is older stuff but I still collect the new stuff as well. Sets are so easy to complete these days. I do dabble a bit in ebay and flipping but I get attached to the cards in the end. Unfortunately bulk is worthless and is stacking up. I have a pretty small budget for such an expensive hobbie but I think I will get them graded regardless of their condition. 15 more dollars to enjoy something isn’t too much to pay. If it increases the value or not. Thank you for the insight.
This hobby is not to stress over, but to have fun with. The couple hundred bucks or whatever you’d spend is nothing compared to all the fun you’ll experience with the grading process, jump in brother.
Plus, thanks for thinking of grading through Scott. It helps our great community;)
Great advice Gary! I’ve been searching other avenues but my only solid source would be with Scott and I think it’s really awesome for him to do. I know me personally it makes it much more accessible. Now I just gotta save some paychecks and give it a whirl.