B3KN Grading authenticates, numerically grades, and encapsulates sports cards and trading cards. Every card we grade gets a private registry record — complete with photos and a written breakdown — that you unlock with its serial number.
How we grade
Every card gets a single overall grade on the 1–10 scale, plus a numeric subgrade for each condition factor we review. No letter grades, no vague adjectives — just numbers, each one backed by photographs and a written justification.
The 1–10 scale
Half-point grades (e.g. 9.5) are awarded on Advanced service where a card falls between two whole grades.
Regular service reviews the four core condition factors. Advanced service adds five deeper parameters and a far more detailed, per-factor written breakdown with more photography.
How evenly the image sits inside the borders, front and back.
We assess left-to-right and top-to-bottom border balance on the front and assign a centering subgrade, documented with a full-card photograph.
We measure the exact front and back border ratios to the nearest percent (e.g. 55/45 L-R, 60/40 T-B), grade each face independently, and publish a measured centering overlay diagram alongside both scans.
Sharpness, fraying, and wear at all four corners.
All four corners are inspected for softness, whitening, and fraying, and the sharpest and weakest corners are noted in a single supporting photo.
Each corner is photographed individually at high magnification with its own written finding, so the exact condition of every corner is documented rather than summarized.
Whitening, chipping, and nicks along all four edges.
Edges are checked for whitening, chipping, and nicks, with the most notable edge wear captured in a supporting photo.
All four edges are photographed under raking light that exposes the smallest chips and roughness, each with its own written finding.
Scratches, print lines, dents, staining, and wear on the card face.
The front and back surfaces are inspected for scratches, print lines, indentations, and staining, and any notable defect is captured in a supporting photo.
The surface is scanned under raking light and at high magnification; every scratch, print line, and indentation is mapped and photographed, with a written note on gloss retention and any staining.
Ink registration, dot pattern, and factory print defects.
Under magnification we evaluate color-layer registration, dot pattern integrity, and any factory print defects (miscuts, print dots, roller lines), and grade how cleanly the card was printed.
Sheen retention and foil / holographic integrity.
We assess how much of the original factory gloss remains and, on foil or holographic cards, the integrity of the finish — checking for scratches, clouding, and whitening that only appear under directed light.
Vibrancy, contrast, focus, and overall visual impact.
We rate color vibrancy, contrast, and image focus against a reference for the issue, capturing the overall eye appeal that separates two cards with otherwise identical technical grades.
Flatness, warping, card stock, and thickness.
We measure the card for flatness and warp, confirm the stock and thickness match a genuine example, and check for delamination or bumps that indicate handling or restoration.
Genuineness plus a check for trimming, recoloring, and restoration.
A dedicated authentication pass, including a UV examination, confirms the card is genuine and unaltered — screening for trimming, recoloring, rebacking, and other restoration. Every card we slab is authenticated; Advanced service documents the exam.
Services & pricing
Pick the depth that fits the card. Both levels are authenticated, encapsulated in a tamper-evident holder, and given a private registry record. Turnaround is 60–80 days for either service.
A trusted numeric grade, backed by photos.
Standard four-point review · 60–80 days
Every detail measured, documented, and photographed.
Full nine-point forensic review · 60–80 days
Prices are per card and cover grading, authentication, encapsulation, and the registry record. Return shipping and insurance are billed separately.
The registry
We don’t publish a browsable list of graded cards. Each card’s full history — every photo, every subgrade, and the written breakdown — lives behind its serial number. To view it, enter the certificate number from the slab and verify an email address. Once verified, the complete record opens on your device.
Enter the serial number printed on the slab label (e.g. B3K-10482).
Confirm your email — type it twice, and we send a one-time code and a secure link.
View the full card history — photos, every subgrade, and the grader’s written notes, matched to your service level.
You’ll confirm an email address on the next step. There’s no public list of graded cards — the serial number is the only way in.
FAQ
Sports cards and trading cards of all kinds — baseball, basketball, football and other sports, plus trading card games and collectible sets. If you’re not sure whether a card qualifies, ask us before you submit.
Every card gets one overall grade from 1 to 10, where 10 is Gem Mint and 1 is Poor. On Advanced service we also award half-point grades (like 9.5) and publish a numeric subgrade for each factor we review.
Regular ($50) is a standard four-point review — centering, corners, edges, and surface — each with a subgrade and a photo. Advanced ($500) is a full nine-point forensic review that adds print, gloss, color, structure, and a UV authentication pass, with far more detailed written notes and photography for every factor.
Turnaround is currently 60–80 days from when your card arrives at our facility, for both service levels.
New submissions are paused while we work through current demand. Add your email below and we’ll notify you the moment submissions reopen.
No. The registry is private by design. A card’s record can only be opened with its serial number after you verify an email address — there is no browsable directory.
Submissions are paused while we clear the current backlog. Leave your email and we’ll be in touch the moment we reopen — no spam, just the reopen notice.