Services and Prices

European certification authority

Grade Authority and Authentication Division - GRAAD - is a grading company that specializes in the authentication and qualitative evaluation of trading cards and stickers. We offer services based on scientific tools and methods, mathematical criteria,  objective parameters and rigorous procedural guidelines to guarantee the highest evaluation reliability. We also guarantee an easy to follow, affordable and quick service.

Order online

To use our service you'll only need to fill-in an online form in the "Order" page located in top right of your screen.

First, we would like to suggest you to register on our website and enter all your personal informations in your "Reserved Area" so it will be easier and faster to fill-in your order form. If you register on our website, you will also be able to follow your order step-by-step during the whole grading process comfortably and without worries.

While entering your order, the first thing you will have to do is choose the "Speed" of the service (how many working days it will take to your order to be completed) and your shipping preferences. You can either ship with our courier or with a courier of your choice.

After that, you're ready to enter your cards in the "Insert a card" section. For each and every card you are planning to grade you will have to write name, Service Level (Authentication, Standard, Infinity Project or Digial) and Language of the Certificate (we grade cards in any language but we only provide certificates in italian or english).

When you're finished, you will have to enter the shipping informations and the payment method. After completing your payment, your order will be officially received by our systems. 

Base price and discount bands

The system calculates a basic price per card which varies according to the quantity of certificates requested in the same order and the speed of the service. When the number of cards in your order reaches a different price range, the automatic calculator in the order page summary box will automatically update showing the new total.

The processing and delivery time relates to the entire order and is expressed in terms of working days (5 days a week).

Speed option

By using the option you can find in the online request form you may choose to accelerate your order's processing time by adding an extra charge per card. Just like base price, this extra charge too has a lower amount for quantitatively high orders. In this case as well the automatic calculator of the request form will update showing the new total.

Shipments 

While placing your order you may choose whether to include or not the dispatch and the return shipment, each one is independent and optional. You may then place the order according to your needs. For each country there is a fixed cost that depends on the country.

Dispatch: you may deliver your package directly at our store in Milan or you may request a courier which will come and pickup your cards all over Italy and Europe. At the end of the order please call support to arrange day and time of pickup. Contact support on +39 02 87 393 016.

Return: you may come and pickup your package at our store or you may request that the package is delivered by courier in Italy or Europe.

Shipping to Milan with your courier: if you prefer to use your own courier, just do not place the shipment in the order, then at the end of the order print the PDF label and attach it to the package, on the label there is the address (GRAAD - Via Ruggero Leoncavallo n ° 15, 20131 - MILAN), so you can arrange to have the package delivered to us.

IMPORTANT: remember to inform the courier that the package must be delivered from Tuesday to Saturday from 10:00 to 19:00 (10 AM to 7 PM)

IMPORTANT : remember that we cannot make collections at post offices so avoid Poste because if you leave the notification of stock we will not be able to collect the package and you will not be able to unlock it over the phone with the post office but you will have to go in person to unlock the package.

Insurance

At the beginning of 2021 we entered into a contract for the insurance of parcels transported by our courier. We used to use ALL in by GLS, but the courier never gave an official and written certainty that the insurance coverage would really cover the "collectible" type. For this we have entered into a contract with absolute certainty (black on white) regarding the coverage of "collectible items" (cards, boxes, packets, stickers, etc). In case of loss, theft or damage during transport, the package will be refunded without quibbles or loopholes.

Insured shipping (optional) has a cost that varies according to the country and the value of the package you want to insure. There are 3 standard options (insured value € 1000, € 2000, € 3000) and then there is the option for packages with a value above € 3000, up to a maximum of € 30,000, with a cost equal to 1% of the insured value.

The additional cost for insurance is calculated each way and exclusively for packages transported by our courier. So if you have selected the round trip shipping and add the insurance service, the insurance will cost based on the value you have insured. The insured shipping covers any inconvenience during transport and relates to a maximum of € 30.000 of fully insured value (value of the package, not of the single card).

To contact support, call the number 02 87 393 016.

Fake cards or stickers

There is no available refund for cards which should turn out to be fake. It is in fact important to underline that the essential part of the service, both standard and digital, is indeed to certify the authenticity of the card. The cards which should turn out to be fake will be rejected and sent back to their owner without being encapsulated in our protective cases and without obtaining a certificate. The certificate itself is in fact synonym for authenticity of the card.

Altered genuine cards or stickers

Cards which should turn out to be genuine but altered (see more details about “altered genuine” on the page Certifiable cards) will be given an authenticity certificate (AU-AL), but GR.A.AD will not issue a quality grade (from 1 to 10) nor potential bonuses coming with the digital grading. In this case as well there is no refund available.

Encapsulate if altered

Our online request form allows you to check the option “encapsulate if altered”, that is to choose whether to have the card sealed in a case or not if an alteration should be found. If you choose to check the option, the card will be encapsulated with the label “AA” that is “authentic-altered” and so its authenticity will be certified.

Minimum grade

By selecting the option “minimum grade” you may also indicate that you want the card to be encapsulated and be given an authenticity certificate only if the final grade is equal or higher than the number you indicate as minimum grade. If the card obtained a lower grade than what you expected as “minimum” it will not be encapsulated, and it will be sent to you in the return shipment package. 

There is no refund of the cost of the service but in the case of an order with many cards below the minimum (and for which a minimum rating of 6 or lower has been requested) we are available to provide a discount voucher. In that case, upon return of the package, write to us to request a discount coupon. Clearly, there is no refund for orders with cards with a minimum rating of 7 or higher. It is in fact an eye on new and inexperienced collectors who send cards hoping for marks higher than or equal to 6 but receive lower marks due to their lack of experience.

Authenticity only (no grade)

By selecting the option "No grade" you may also indicate to encapsulate the card in a case certifying its authenticity only without giving a qualitative evaluation grade. In this case, instead of the grade, the label AU (authentic) will be printed on the certificate. If the card is signed the label AU-SG will be printed (authentic signature).

Insurance included in the service

The insurance included in the service offered by GRAAD is equal to a value of 50.000€ in total, valid for any damage, loss, theft of one or more cards in a package during the time it stays at our processing lab. If you place an order with a total value higher (sum of the values of the single cards) than 50.000 euros, we will be able to arrange a specific insurance. Please contact support.

The insurance included in the service is not to be confused with the insured shipment, which is instead optional for an order and it is valid for damages, thefts, or loss during the transport of the package. The package is under the courier's total responsibility during transport.

Affiliations

VAT code owners who are interested in affiliations may write to us by email at info@graad.eu to get information about prices and how we manage our affiliation program.