GMA Grading (GMA): Complete Guide

In trading cards, GMA most commonly refers to GMA Grading (site: gmagrading.com) and the business listed on BBB as “GMA Grading” with alternate name “Gem Mint Authentication Inc” (GMA Grading official site, BBB: GMA Grading). Other common meanings of “GMA” (for example “Good Morning America” or “grandma”) are not trading-card grading companies and do not match the gmagrading.com context.

Quick facts

Fact	Details
Official name + official website	GMA Grading — gmagrading.com
Founded (year) + founders (if known)	BBB lists “Business Started: 2/10/2003” and principal contact “Alan Karpuch, Owner” (BBB: GMA Grading)
Headquarters + operating countries	US-focused; contact and mailing address listed for Odessa, Florida on GMA materials (GMA contact, GMA submission form PDF)
Ownership / parent company (if any)	Owner listed as Alan Karpuch on BBB; alternate name “Gem Mint Authentication Inc” (BBB: GMA Grading)
What they grade (sports, TCG, non-sports, memorabilia)	GMA states it specializes in baseball/football/basketball/hockey and “non-sports cards” (GMA: About, GMA home)
Grading scale + top grade label	Public grading scale includes half grades and defines top grade GEM-MT 10 (GMA: Grading Scale)
Subgrades (Y/N) + how many categories	No subgrades are described on the public grading-scale page; the scale is a single grade outcome (Unverified beyond public pages) (GMA: Grading Scale, GMA: Terms and Conditions)
Pop report (Y/N) + link	No public population report found on official pages reviewed as of 2025-12-24 (GMA home, GMA: About)
Registry (Y/N) + link	No public registry found on official pages reviewed as of 2025-12-24 (GMA home, GMA: About)
Certification verification / lookup (Y/N) + link	No public cert lookup tool found on official pages reviewed as of 2025-12-24 (GMA home, GMA: Terms and Conditions)
Notable differentiator (1 sentence)	Very low per-card pricing and explicit turnaround-time marketing compared to major graders (GMA: Pricing and Fees, GMA: About)

Where GMA Grading fits in the grading market

GMA is best understood as a budget grader: it prices far below PSA/BGS/SGC/CGC and advertises fast service (GMA: Pricing and Fees, GMA: About). In collector-to-collector markets, that usually means:

Lower buyer trust and weaker resale vs the big incumbents (recurring collector sentiment across Reddit threads and eBay discussions linked below; see Public opinion) (r/baseballcards: GMA value vs PSA, eBay Community: GMA graded cards)
Useful for cheap protection / “slab it anyway” when you do not want to pay PSA/SGC pricing for a low-value card (pricing context) (GMA: Pricing and Fees)

If your goal is “sell fastest with the least buyer friction,” collectors commonly default to major graders (PSA/SGC/BGS/CGC) rather than niche slabs like GMA (market behavior examples) (r/footballcards: GMA vs PSA value, r/basketballcards: GMA 10 skepticism).

Services offered

Card grading tiers (per-card pricing, bulk pricing, and stated turnaround shown on the official pricing page) (GMA: Pricing and Fees)
Bulk submissions: official pricing shows “100+ card submission” pricing for each tier (GMA: Pricing and Fees)
Card type add-ons: the submission form lists per-card fees for “Jersey / Thick Cards” and “Autographed Cards” (pricing mechanics) (GMA submission form PDF)
Authentication-only / crossover / reholder / regrade: Unknown from official pages reviewed; no dedicated official pages for these services were found as of 2025-12-24 (GMA home, GMA: Pricing and Fees)
Dealer/partner programs: Unknown from official pages reviewed (GMA: About)

Grading scale and standards (deep dive)

The scale and grade definitions

GMA publishes a grading scale with definitions from FAIR 1 up to GEM-MT 10, including half grades like 8.5 and 7.5 (GMA: Grading Scale).

Centering/corners/edges/surface definitions/tolerances (as published)

GMA’s published definitions include explicit centering thresholds. Example excerpts:

GEM-MT 10: “60/40 or better centering” plus corners/focus/surface-gloss conditions (GMA: Grading Scale)
NM-MT 8: “70/30 or better centering” with examples of permissible small flaws (GMA: Grading Scale)
EX 5: “80/20 or better centering” with allowance for a “VERY slight surface or ‘spider’ crease” on one side (GMA: Grading Scale)

Human vs hybrid vs tech-first process (what they claim)

GMA’s Terms describe grading/authentication as a “professional opinion” that is “subjective in nature” (GMA: Terms and Conditions). No public claims of computer vision, scanning, or per-card digital reports were found in the official materials reviewed (GMA home, GMA: Grading Scale).

How to interpret the label (example)

Because GMA does not provide a public “label decoder” page, interpret a typical GMA slab as communicating:

Card identity fields (year/set/player/notes as written on the label)
Single numeric grade (e.g., “GEM-MT 10”)
No public lookup to validate a serial online (as of 2025-12-24, no public cert tool was found on official pages) (GMA home, GMA: Terms and Conditions)

Concrete example: if a listing claims “GMA GEM-MT 10,” compare the physical card’s centering/corners/surface to GMA’s published GEM-MT 10 attributes (centering “60/40 or better,” no breaks in surface gloss, etc.) (GMA: Grading Scale).

Slab, label, and security features

Holder and security claims (official)

GMA’s public pages reviewed do not publish a dedicated slab-security specification (no official QR/NFC/hologram feature claims were found as of 2025-12-24) (GMA home, GMA: Terms and Conditions).

Practical risk signals (community)

Collectors sometimes raise concerns about holder robustness and tamper resistance. Example: a thread in a Pokémon collecting subreddit claims a GMA slab can be pulled apart by hand and warns against grading with them (community claim; treat as anecdotal, but relevant to perceived risk) (r/pkmntcgcollections).

Label/version changes over time

Unknown from official sources reviewed: no public timeline of label/holder revisions was found (GMA home, GMA: About).

Verification and data tools

Cert lookup workflow (step-by-step)

No public cert lookup tool was found on official GMA pages reviewed as of 2025-12-24. Practical implication: verification becomes “photo and trust” rather than database validation (GMA home, GMA: Terms and Conditions).

If you buy a GMA slab online, mitigation is mostly:

Demand clear front/back scans of the card inside the holder.
Compare the visible defects vs GMA’s published grade definitions (especially for 10/9/8) (GMA: Grading Scale).
Treat the slab as “protection + opinion,” not as a widely trusted identity system (consistent collector sentiment) (r/baseballcards: GMA value vs PSA, eBay Community: GMA graded cards).

Pop report limitations

Because no public pop report was found, you cannot easily use GMA tooling to validate scarcity within GMA’s own census (GMA home, GMA: About).

Registry mechanics

Because no public registry was found, registry-driven premium behavior is unlikely to apply in the way it can for PSA/CGC-style ecosystems (GMA home, GMA: About).

Grader notes / reports

No public grader notes or digital reports were found in the official materials reviewed (GMA home, GMA: Terms and Conditions).

Pricing and turnaround (how it works, not just numbers)

Pricing model (per-card, add-ons, bulk)

GMA’s pricing is primarily per-card and tier-based, with separate bulk pricing called out for 100+ card submissions (GMA: Pricing and Fees).

Add-ons/pricing modifiers in official materials:

Jersey / thick cards: +$5.00 per card (submission form) (GMA submission form PDF)
Autographed cards: $10.00 per card (submission form) (GMA submission form PDF)

Shipping and insurance expectations

Official submission instructions describe shipping mechanics and optional insurance:

Packaging and shipping flow (download form, pack, ship) (GMA: How to Submit)
Insurance: “Insurance can be purchased for $2.00 per $100 worth of value” (official submission instructions) (GMA: How to Submit)
The submission form lists UPS Ground return shipping fees by quantity and per-card pricing for regular vs jersey/thick cards (shipping table) (GMA submission form PDF)

Current prices and stated turnaround (verified 2025-12-24)

From the official pricing page (GMA: Pricing and Fees):

Tier	Price	Bulk (100+)	Stated turnaround
Gold Express	$20/card	$18/card	10 business days
Standard	$15/card	$12/card	15 business days
Economy	$10/card	$8/card	25 business days

Important: an official submission form PDF also contains a statement that “All Cards are processed and shipped back within 7 business days from the day they are received,” which conflicts with the tier turnaround claims above (treat turnaround as not guaranteed, and verify current policy before sending) (GMA submission form PDF, GMA: Pricing and Fees).

Turnaround time claims vs user-reported reality

Community discussion around GMA frequently focuses on resale/value and grading strictness more than detailed turnaround statistics, but some threads report “pleased” experiences while others warn against the service (representative threads) (r/baseballcards: GMA grading-Pleased, r/basketballcards: first submission to GMA).

Submission experience

Step-by-step from official instructions:

Download a submission form and fill it out (GMA: How to Submit, GMA submission form PDF).
Put cards in top loaders or card savers, tape holders into a “brick,” and pack in a box with cushioning (bubble wrap/foam/newspaper) (GMA: How to Submit).
Choose shipping; GMA states UPS Ground return shipping fees and optional insurance pricing (official guidance) (GMA: How to Submit, GMA submission form PDF).

Common pitfalls (based on official forms + community reports):

Underestimating shipping/insurance relative to per-card price for small submissions (GMA submission form PDF).
Mismatch between expected strictness and market reaction (see community themes) (r/basketballcards: GMA 10 skepticism, r/baseballcards: GMA value vs PSA).

Resale liquidity: what happens on the secondary market

On major marketplaces, buyer objections around GMA slabs often include:

“I’ll only pay raw prices (or close) unless it’s PSA/SGC/BGS/CGC.”
“Is the grade strict?”
“How do I verify it without a cert tool?”

These objections show up repeatedly in collector Q&A threads (examples) (r/footballcards: value impact, r/baseballcards: value vs PSA, eBay Community: GMA graded cards).

How sellers try to overcome that:

Provide very clear photos and defect disclosure.
Price aggressively versus PSA comps.
Treat GMA as “a holder + opinion,” not a premium brand (community sentiment) (r/basketballcards: GMA vs PSA comparison, r/baseballcards: guidance thread).

Public opinion: Reddit, X, and hobby communities

Balanced themes below are based on recurring topics across the linked threads/videos/forums. Paraphrased; no long quotes.

Recurring positive themes

Very low grading cost versus the major graders (supported by official pricing) (GMA: Pricing and Fees)
Some submitters report being “pleased” with results or use it as a cheap entry point (examples) (r/baseballcards: GMA grading-Pleased, YouTube: Great grading company!! Sports Card reveal GMA)
Some buyers view GMA slabs as “fine if you plan to crack and regrade” (regrade framing) (YouTube: PSA vs. GMA comparison (cracking slabs), r/PokemonTCG: regrade potential)

Recurring negative themes

Lower resale value / weaker market acceptance (examples) (r/baseballcards: value vs PSA, r/footballcards: value impact)
Skepticism about grading strictness, especially for top grades (example) (r/basketballcards: GMA 10 skepticism)
Concerns about slab/holder security (example claim) (r/pkmntcgcollections)
Lack of verification tooling increases buyer friction (official tooling gap) (GMA home, GMA: Terms and Conditions)

Most common misconceptions

“GMA has no standards.” GMA does publish grade definitions with centering thresholds, even if other tooling is limited (GMA: Grading Scale).
“GMA slabs trade like PSA.” Community threads regularly suggest the opposite (examples) (r/baseballcards: value vs PSA, eBay Community: GMA graded cards).

Controversies, trust signals, and red flags

What was searched:

Official terms/policies for grading liability and conflicts
Publicly stated standards and tooling (scale, verification, population tools)
Community claims about slab integrity and grading strictness

Findings:

Published grading scale (trust signal): GMA publishes grade definitions with centering thresholds (not all small graders do) (GMA: Grading Scale).
No liability for grading outcomes (common in grading, but still a risk): GMA Terms state grading/authentication is subjective and disclaims liability for assigned grade/authenticity determination (GMA: Terms and Conditions).
Conflict-of-interest disclosure (important): GMA Terms state owners/employees may submit items and may buy/sell/trade GMA-graded items (GMA: Terms and Conditions).
Verification/tooling gaps (risk): no public cert lookup/pop report/registry found on official site as of 2025-12-24 (GMA home).
Slab security concerns (community claim): at least one thread alleges slabs can be pulled apart by hand (anecdotal, but relevant to buyer fear) (r/pkmntcgcollections).

No major, widely-reported legal scandals or acquisitions were found in reputable hobby/news coverage during this verification pass. If you have a specific claim you want investigated, share it and I will try to verify it from primary/reputable sources.

Who should use GMA Grading (and who shouldn’t)

Use GMA if:

You are grading low-value cards and want a cheap holder and a published standards scale without paying PSA/SGC fees (GMA: Pricing and Fees, GMA: Grading Scale).
You accept that resale liquidity can be weak and you may need to price closer to raw comps (community sentiment) (r/baseballcards: value vs PSA).

Avoid GMA if:

Your goal is maximum resale liquidity and buyer trust (community sentiment) (r/footballcards: value impact).
You require verification tools (cert lookup) and ecosystem data (pop report/registry), which were not found for GMA as of 2025-12-24 (GMA home).
You are especially concerned about holder security (community claims exist; validate before buying) (r/pkmntcgcollections).

Alternatives:

PSA: usually strongest mainstream buyer recognition and resale liquidity (PSA guide, PSA official)
SGC: commonly accepted alternative in many sports segments, especially vintage (SGC guide, SGC official)
BGS: subgrades and different market niches (BGS official)
CGC Cards: strong for many TCG workflows and published scale tools (CGC official)

Comparison snapshot

Company	Market trust	Resale liquidity	Pricing posture	Turnaround posture	Transparency	Slab security	Best for
GMA Grading	Low	Low	Very low-cost	Fast (claims vary)	Medium (published scale, limited tools)	Unclear; some community concern	Low-value slabs and budget grading
PSA	Very high	Very high	Premium	Variable by tier	Medium-high	Strong, documented label security	Mainstream resale and flagship cards
SGC	High (esp. vintage)	Medium-high	Value-oriented	Often positioned as faster	Medium	Medium	Vintage and value-focused sports submissions
BGS	High	Medium-high	Premium	Variable	Medium-high (subgrades)	Medium-high	Subgrades and trophy outcomes
CGC Cards	High (TCG-leaning)	Medium	Competitive	Variable	High (published scale + tools)	Medium	TCG grading with ecosystem tools

Rationale and sources: GMA pricing/standards/terms and lack of tools (GMA: Pricing and Fees, GMA: Grading Scale, GMA: Terms and Conditions, GMA home); community sentiment on resale/grade skepticism (examples) (r/baseballcards, r/basketballcards); PSA/SGC/BGS/CGC official pages for their positioning/tools (PSA official, SGC official, BGS official, CGC official).

FAQs

Is GMA legit?

GMA Grading is an operating business with an official website and published grading scale and terms, and it is listed on BBB as “GMA Grading” with business started date in 2003 (GMA official, GMA: Grading Scale, GMA: Terms and Conditions, BBB: GMA Grading).

How do I verify a GMA cert number?

As of 2025-12-24, no public cert lookup tool was found on GMA’s official pages. Verification is therefore photo-based and standards-based rather than database-based (GMA home, GMA: Grading Scale).

Does GMA have a pop report?

No public pop report was found on GMA’s official pages reviewed as of 2025-12-24 (GMA home, GMA: About).

Does GMA have a registry?

No public registry was found on GMA’s official pages reviewed as of 2025-12-24 (GMA home).

Does GMA offer subgrades?

GMA publishes a single-grade scale (with half grades), but no public “subgrade category” system was found (as of 2025-12-24) (GMA: Grading Scale).

What is GMA’s top grade?

GMA’s published top grade is GEM-MT 10 (GMA: Grading Scale).

What does GMA 10 mean?

GMA defines GEM-MT 10 as including “60/40 or better centering” and other near-flawless attributes; see the full definition on the grading scale page (GMA: Grading Scale).

Does GMA grade non-sports cards?

Yes, GMA’s About page states it grades “non-sports cards” (GMA: About).

Does GMA grade Pokémon / TCG?

Unknown from official sources reviewed: GMA’s About page lists sports and non-sports cards but does not explicitly mention Pokémon or TCG as of 2025-12-24. Listings exist in collector markets, but that does not prove official service scope (community examples) (GMA: About, r/PokemonTCG discussion).

How much does GMA grading cost?

Official pricing lists $20/$15/$10 per card depending on tier, with bulk pricing for 100+ card submissions (GMA: Pricing and Fees).

What are GMA’s stated turnaround times?

The official pricing page lists 10/15/25 business days depending on tier. An official submission form PDF also includes a “7 business days” statement, so verify current policy before sending (official sources conflict) (GMA: Pricing and Fees, GMA submission form PDF).

https://www.bbb.org/us/fl/odessa/profile/baseball-cards/gma-grading-0653-90057123

Community sentiment (Reddit/X/forums)

Directories/reference lists

None used for key claims beyond BBB (used here as a business listing source for dates/contacts).

Score explanations (with sources)

Market acceptance (3/10): low collector trust and frequent resale/value discount discussion compared to major graders (r/baseballcards, r/footballcards).
Transparency (6/10): GMA publishes a detailed grading scale with centering thresholds, but lacks public verification/pop/registry tools and provides standard “subjective opinion” disclaimers (GMA: Grading Scale, GMA: Terms and Conditions, GMA home).
Value for money (8/10): very low per-card pricing and bulk options (plus stated turnaround positioning), though shipping can dominate small orders (GMA: Pricing and Fees, GMA submission form PDF).
Resale liquidity (2/10): many buyers treat GMA slabs as discounted versus PSA/SGC/BGS/CGC, creating slower sell-through unless priced aggressively (r/basketballcards, eBay Community).

title: "GMA Grading: What It Is and How Buyers Treat the Slab" description: "Learn what GMA grading is, how to verify basics, and why resale liquidity can vary by buyer pool. Compare safely before you submit or buy." category: "Grading" tags: "Grading", "GMA" officialUrl: "https://gmagrading.com/"

Snapshot

Region: United States
Best for: budget grading and lower-cost encapsulation
Market position: Tier 4 for liquidity in many marketplaces
Status: Unverified lead in figoca’s directory

What to know before buying or submitting

If you see a non-mainstream slab on a marketplace, focus on card condition and your buyer pool’s recognition.

Sources

https://gmagrading.com/