Grading is an absolute must for collectors who want to preserve their cards in good condition or lock their value in for a potential sale down the road. But with PSA’s recent decision to suspend most of its services, card enthusiasts are left hanging with their grading plans. If you can’t wait for PSA to return or you want to try something new, HGA can be the answer to your grading problems.

Hybrid Grading Approach or HGA is a new player in the card grading industry, which has been dominated by the likes of PSA and BGS for quite some time now. Like those companies, customers can send their cards over to HGA to determine their condition and encase them in a slab.

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As mentioned earlier, PSA and BGS are the go-to grading companies for card collectors all over the world. For HGA to successfully carve its own place in the industry, it has to offer something different to customers. Shown below are some of the things that set this up-and-coming grading company apart from the competition.

Digital Grading

Most companies in the grading industry employ and train actual people to assess the condition of a card. While this process can be correct in most cases, there are some cards that obtain an incorrect assessment. HGA, for their part, plans to do away with the human factor by using a digital grading approach.

HGA claims to use a proprietary software program that assesses cards with an emphasis on objectivity. Instead of relying on a person’s sense of judgment, the company pairs the said software with a high-resolution scanner to obtain a more accurate result. In this way, every card HGA assesses goes through an impartial process that can be both efficient and quick.

Better-looking Slabs

While PSA has nailed the classic look of graded cards and BGS boasts a more polished appearance, HGA is going for a more stylish route. What sets their slabs from the competition is a label that matches the color or look of the card being graded.

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For instance, you chose to have your Topps Kobe Bryant rookie card graded by HGA. The company will most likely use a yellow-centric label, complete with sub-grades to match the card’s primary color. By using this design approach, customers are guaranteed to have a slabbed card that looks unique and stylish when displayed.

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Faster Turnaround Time

As mentioned earlier, PSA has suspended its grading services to clear its massive card backlog, which has millions of pending submissions in it. As a result, customers would have to wait for a couple of months to a whole year to get hold of their graded cards. HGA, as they claim, can do better in that arena.

There are reports from those who have tried HGA’s service that their turnaround time is on-point. For example, if you avail of their 10-day service, the actual grading process will be completed by the given timeframe. And while these claims are mostly found on social media, it stands to reason that this can be done since HGA doesn’t have a backlog to deal with in their operation.

With the current suspension of PSA’s services, HGA has the chance to make a name for itself in the grading industry. While there are going to be some hiccups along the way, their unique and flashy approach to grading can make a lasting impact in the card market. If you can’t wait for PSA to come back or you are not warming up to other grading companies, HGA can possibly cater to your grading expectation, and even perhaps exceed them.