When was my PSA card graded? A visual guide to the timeline of PSA Certification Numbers (1991-2026)

Articles
, ,
1

Hello, fellow collectors!

One of the most common questions I’ve seen online over the past several years has been “When was this PSA slab graded?” I’ve done a lot of research and reading and have never found a clean, concise, visual representation of when certain PSA cert numbers were graded, and I feel it could be a valuable resource for collectors everywhere :slight_smile:

I know it’s a weird size, but I figured more data is better. Saving the image/exporting and then zooming might be the most pleasant viewing experience for some!

A couple of caveats:

In the “early” days of PSA (1991-2008), for one reason or another, a large number of cards had cert numbers that did not align chronologically the way we know today. Many 3XXXXXXX, 4XXXXXXX, 8XXXXXXX, and 9XXXXXXX cert numbers were generated alongside some of the very first PSA submissions. So, above all else, please know this is not a definitive answer for when a specific cert number was generated/activated. Reholders are common, especially for older graded cards, and we are unable to know the full storied history of each vintage slab. So, please view this is as just a resource and not an end-all be-all receipt for grading dates.

It’s also important to note certification numbers are generated and assigned by PSA at the beginning Step 3/Research & ID of the submission process. Dates shown in the graphic do not indicate the date in which the cert numbers entered the pop report, but rather the dates that the cert numbers were generated.

The immense grading backlog of 2020-2022 impacted the cert number generation significantly as well. During the time of the PSA shutdown, backlogged orders sometimes contained cert number values almost 10 million cards behind cert numbers graded in the Express and Walk-Through service tiers. (i.e. an October 2020 Bulk sub, 5500XXXX, and an August 2021 Express sub, 6350XXXX, could have finished and shipped on the same date.)

All of this data has been compiled by online articles, blog posts, personal PSA submission logs, and PSA submission logs from other collectors here on E4. If you’d like some additional history, a brilliant resource detailing the timeline of different PSA Flip designs can be found here compiled by another collector.

Thanks!

PSA Cert Number Timeline
PSA Cert Number Timeline6400×1000 307 KB

edit: Increased resolution so hopefully it’s a little more legible!

43 Likes
2

Thank you for putting this together. Always something that I’ve wondered, but never put the time to track.

4 Likes
3

Awesome. Also looks good that you included some pricing info.

2 Likes
4

It would be cool to pin point as well when PSA started uploading pictures for cert lookups. If I remember correctly, it should be somewhere in the mid to late 6’s

1 Like
5

It was November/December 2020, and only for Express and higher submission tiers at that time

4 Likes
6

:clap::clap: wonderful

4 Likes
7

@Quuador Token. Reason: Gives informative Data that can give a accrate timeline in case of “old cert” vs “new cert” threads and also can be used for when others make new purchases. Also gives out additional information at the top and is overall very useful to E4.

2 Likes
8

Thank you for compiling! Very cool to see

4 Likes
9

@Tapp

Whenever you have time take a look at 3rd and 6th posts by @Will , there’s few important mentions about 3x certs which could be added in 2018 timeline. :slight_smile:

4 Likes
10

Very cool thread!

Just for a bit of extra data, I graded a trophy in April/May 2020 that had an image scan available straightaway.

That one was a 4xxx cert.

4 Likes
11

Thanks for this info. As someone who does not grade cards, it is fun to see all of this information and timeline of sort of the ‘evolution of PSA’. Thanks a lot for sharing.

Cheers!

3 Likes
12

Great work!

It’s always nice to know when a card was graded. It also makes me appreciate the 01-05 certs even more.

I would still love to know for sure what the first graded pokemon card was (and the exact cert) :pikasmile:

5 Likes
13

Even more of a reason I didn’t include it on the graph lmao! I could never find a published date on when PSA decided to start roll out imaging, and you’ve now shown they were slowly integrating photos even 6 months prior :face_with_spiral_eyes:

4 Likes
14

So which certs are the best

5 Likes
15

The ones you choose to add to your collection :slight_smile: :heart:

4 Likes
16

Brilliant work compiling this!

3 Likes
17

I believe they scanned cards over a certain dollar amount already but started doing every sub in the late 6x era.

2 Likes
18

Again, since there’s no published date of the start of imaging I didn’t feel it appropriate to include on the graphic, apologies!

3 Likes