KSA Certification (KSA): Complete Guide

In trading cards, “KSA” most commonly refers to KSA Certification, a Canada-based grading company operating at ksagrading.com (KSA: Card Grading Services). Other common meanings of “KSA” (for example, Korean Standards Association and other unrelated acronyms) do not match the trading-card grading context and do not provide trading card grading services on a grading-company site like ksagrading.com (disambiguation based on the official KSA grading pages: KSA: Card Grading Services, KSA: Card Grading Standards).

Quick facts

Fact	Details
Official name + official website	KSA Certification — ksagrading.com (KSA: Card Grading Services)
Founded (year) + founders (if known)	Unknown. KSA’s FAQ states it has had “three different designs of holders” “over the last 29 years” (which implies long-running operations), but does not publish a clear founding year/founder line on the verified pages used for this write-up (KSA: Card Grading FAQ’s).
Headquarters + operating countries	Canada focus. KSA’s “How to Submit Cards” page lists a Head Office address in Elmira, Ontario and a Western Office mail address in Vancouver, BC (KSA: How to Submit Cards).
Ownership / parent company (if any)	Unknown from primary/reputable sources verified for this write-up (no explicit ownership statement found on the official pages cited here).
What they grade (sports, TCG, non-sports, memorabilia)	Trading cards across sports and TCG; KSA also offers autograph authentication and coin services (non-card). KSA’s card grading criteria and TCG-specific services are described on official pages and FAQ (KSA: Card Grading Services, KSA: Card Grading FAQ’s).
Grading scale + top grade label	KSA publishes a 1–10 grading scale; “10 - Gem Mint” is the top grade label in its standards page (KSA: Card Grading Standards).
Subgrades (Y/N) + how many categories	Unknown / Unverified. KSA publishes a single numeric scale and written standards, but does not clearly state a subgrade program on the verified official pages used here (KSA: Card Grading Standards, KSA: Card Grading Services).
Pop report (Y/N) + link	Unknown. No official population report page was found in KSA’s sitemap pages set at the time of verification, and the official pages used here do not advertise a pop report (KSA sitemap, KSA: Card Grading Services).
Registry (Y/N) + link	Unknown. No official registry page was found in KSA’s sitemap pages set at the time of verification, and the official pages used here do not advertise a registry (KSA sitemap).
Certification verification / lookup (Y/N) + link	Yes. KSA hosts a verification page that embeds a certification lookup form; the embedded lookup notes only “2012 and newer certification numbers” are in the database at the time of writing (KSA: Verification, KSA verification iframe).
Notable differentiator (1 sentence)	KSA is primarily a Canada-first grader with CAD-denominated service pricing and an official grade-scale document that includes centering thresholds for high grades (KSA: Card Grading Services, KSA: Card Grading Standards).

Where KSA Certification fits in the grading market

KSA is best understood as a regional Canadian grading option. It can make practical sense when:

You submit and sell primarily inside Canada (shipping, currency, and buyer familiarity).
Your cards are in the “PC / lower-value” band where CAD pricing and convenience matters more than extracting a PSA/BGS/SGC premium (KSA: Card Grading Services).

Where it tends to be weaker is cross-border resale liquidity: collectors discussing KSA on hobby forums frequently frame KSA slabs as requiring more buyer education and often talk about “crack and resubmit” or cross-grading to PSA to improve buyer recognition (representative threads: Collectors.com: KSA grading, Collectors.com: Thoughts on KSA, Collectors.com: KSA to PSA).

This is why KSA is best treated as a Tier 3 option: valuable for local workflows, not typically the default “comp anchor” slab the way PSA is in many categories (PSA reference: PSA guide).

Services offered

KSA’s official card grading page lists service tiers, quantities, and turnaround time estimates (and includes a separate TCG service block and reholder services) (KSA: Card Grading Services).

Card grading tiers: Walk Through, Express (1 business day), Express (approx. 5 business days), Regular (approx. 20 business days), Bulk (approx. 30 business days) (KSA: Card Grading Services).
TCG grading tiers: “TCG (Trading Card Game) Regular” and “TCG (Trading Card Game) Bulk” listed with their own pricing and turnaround estimates (KSA: Card Grading Services).
Reholder / re-slab: “Reholder Express” and “Reholder Regular” listed with pricing and turnaround estimates (KSA: Card Grading Services).
Autograph authentication add-on (for aftermarket autographs): KSA’s FAQ states cards with aftermarket autographs must be accompanied by its autograph authentication service to be graded (KSA: Card Grading FAQ’s).

Grading scale and standards (deep dive)

KSA publishes a full grading scale document that includes grade-level definitions and centering thresholds for several grades (KSA: Card Grading Standards).

The scale and grade definitions

Top grade: “10 - Gem Mint” includes explicit centering guidance (“50/50” front; “no worse than 60/40 on the back”) plus “sharp corners and edges” and a “glossy surface” (KSA: Card Grading Standards).
High grade example: “9 - Mint” includes centering thresholds (“55/45 or better on the front” and “better than 70/30 on the back”) and allows one minor flaw (KSA: Card Grading Standards).
Lower grades: KSA describes damage patterns and wear levels for grades down to 1, including creases, stains, edge wear, and missing pieces for very low grades (KSA: Card Grading Standards).
Authentication-only outcomes: KSA includes “A - Authentic” and also lists “Authentic - Trimmed” / “Authentic - Coloured” style outcomes in its standards page (KSA: Card Grading Standards).

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

KSA’s standards page includes explicit centering thresholds for multiple grades (examples: 10, 9, 8, 7) and references corners, edges, borders, surface, focus, and registration as part of grade definitions (KSA: Card Grading Standards).

KSA’s “Card Grading Services” page also lists the evaluation criteria it checks as part of its “10-point certification process” (including centering, corners, cut, colour, borders, enamel, focus, picture quality, registration, and micro imperfections) (KSA: Card Grading Services).

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

KSA states cards are “measured” and checked “under magnification and special lighting” (KSA: Card Grading Services). It does not publish a tech-first, per-card digital report workflow on the verified pages used for this write-up (contrast example: TAG’s public report positioning, see TAG guide).

How to interpret the label (example)

KSA states each graded card has a “unique serial number” that corresponds to the card information and grade and is recorded in an online database (KSA: Card Grading Services).

Concrete example interpretation:

“KSA 9”: should reflect KSA’s published “9 - Mint” definition and centering thresholds, not a PSA/BGS promise (KSA: Card Grading Standards).
Serial number: use KSA’s verification page to confirm the database record (see verification section) (KSA: Verification).

Slab, label, and security features

Holder materials and sealing (official claims)

KSA states it “sonically seals” graded cards in a “scratch resistant, optical quality, UV protected holder” (KSA: Card Grading Services).

Serial number + database linkage

KSA states its graded cards have a “unique serial number” that corresponds to card information and grade, recorded in an online database (KSA: Card Grading Services).

Label/version changes over time

KSA’s FAQ says it has had “three different designs of holders” “over the last 29 years” and points to a “KSA Generations” page; however, the linked “KSA Generations” page was not accessible (404) at the time of verification (KSA: Card Grading FAQ’s).

Verification and data tools

Cert lookup workflow (step-by-step)

Go to KSA’s verification page: KSA: Verification.
Use the embedded “Certification Look Up” form in the iframe to submit the certification number (separate fields exist for grading certification numbers, autograph certification numbers, and appraisal certification numbers) (KSA verification iframe).
Important limitation: the embedded lookup states “only 2012 and newer certification numbers have been added to the database at this point” (KSA verification iframe).

Pop report limitations

KSA does not publicly document a trading-card population report on the verified official pages used here. Treat pop counts as Unknown unless KSA publishes a dedicated tool page (KSA: Card Grading Services, KSA sitemap).

Registry mechanics

No KSA registry tool was found on KSA’s sitemap pages set at the time of verification. Treat registry availability as Unknown unless KSA publishes a dedicated registry page/tool (KSA sitemap).

Grader notes / reports

KSA’s official pages cited here do not describe per-card grader notes or digital defect reports. Treat as Unknown (KSA: Card Grading Services).

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

Pricing model (per-card + quantity tiers; CAD storefront)

KSA’s card grading page publishes a pricing-and-turnaround table with per-card pricing across tiers and bulk quantities (KSA: Card Grading Services).

The site’s storefront code sets the shop currency as CAD (Canadian dollars), which is consistent with KSA’s Canada-first positioning, but always double-check currency selection at checkout (currency selector appears sitewide) (KSA: Card Grading Services).

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

From KSA’s pricing table (KSA: Card Grading Services):

Tier (as listed by KSA)	# of cards	Price	Stated turnaround
Walk Through	No Limit	$150/card	Same Day
Express	No Limit	$100/card	1 business day
Express	No Limit	$50/card	Approximately 5 business days
Regular	1–19 cards	$30/card	Approximately 20 business days
Bulk	20–49 cards	$25/card	Approximately 30 business days
Bulk	50–99 cards	$20/card	Approximately 30 business days
Bulk	100+ cards	$15/card	Approximately 30 business days
TCG (Trading Card Game) Regular	1–19 cards	$25/card	Approximately 20 business days
TCG (Trading Card Game) Bulk	20+ cards	$15/card	Approximately 30 business days
Reholder Express	No Limit	$25/card	Approximately 5 business days
Reholder Regular	No Limit	$15/card	Approximately 20 business days

Shipping/insurance expectations

KSA’s “How to Submit Cards” flow instructs submitters to ship via Canada Post with tracking and signature required, and it states return shipping fees are automatically added before checkout when using the online submission method (KSA: How to Submit Cards).

KSA also sells optional return shipping insurance as an add-on product (official product page) (KSA: Optional Return Shipping Insurance).

Turnaround time claims vs user-reported reality

Official claim: turnaround times are expressed in “business days” and in several places KSA emphasizes turnaround times are approximate (and that posted turnaround times are relevant to the Ontario office, with West office differing) (KSA: Card Grading Services, KSA: Card Grading FAQ’s).
User-reported (community): forum discussions repeatedly treat KSA as a Canada-first option and focus more on grade consistency/resale than turnaround; for example, Collectors.com threads tend to revolve around KSA reputation and cross-grading outcomes rather than consistent service-time reporting (Collectors.com: Thoughts on KSA, Collectors.com: KSA grading).

Submission experience

KSA publishes a step-by-step submission outline and addresses for its Ontario head office and a Western Office mail address (KSA: How to Submit Cards).

Step-by-step submission overview (official)

Choose a service level using KSA’s card grading services page (KSA: Card Grading Services).
Submit via manual form or online submission; KSA notes online submission “can only be used” for submissions to the Ontario office (KSA: How to Submit Cards).
Package cards: penny sleeve first, then semi-rigid/card savers or top loaders; avoid screw-down holders and tape on top loaders (KSA: How to Submit Cards, KSA: Card Grading FAQ’s).
Ship with tracking and signature; KSA provides the Ontario head office address and a Western Office mailing address (KSA: How to Submit Cards).

Manual submission forms (official PDFs)

KSA links to region-specific manual forms on its FAQ page:

Ontario/Quebec/Manitoba/Saskatchewan/Maritimes form (PDF): ksagradeformontario.pdf (KSA: Card Grading FAQ’s)
British Columbia/Alberta form (PDF): ksagradeformwest.pdf (KSA: Card Grading FAQ’s)

Common pitfalls (official + community)

Submitting in excluded categories: KSA lists categories it cannot service (e.g., metal cards, soccer stickers, unlicensed cards, items thicker than 180pt, and items larger than 4.25" x 5.75") (KSA: Card Grading FAQ’s).
Packaging choices: screw-down holders and taped top loaders are explicitly discouraged (KSA: Card Grading FAQ’s).
Assuming global resale acceptance: forum discussions repeatedly emphasize “buy the card, not the holder” and warn that KSA-to-PSA grade translation can be inconsistent (representative: Collectors.com: Thoughts on KSA).

Resale liquidity: what happens on the secondary market

KSA slabs tend to be easier to move inside Canada than internationally, where buyers more frequently prefer PSA/BGS/SGC slabs and may discount unfamiliar slabs. This is primarily evidenced in community discussion rather than an official market dataset (KSA does not publish a resale-premium study).

Typical buyer objections seen in collector forums:

“How does KSA compare to PSA?” and “Will it cross?” (Collectors.com: Thoughts on KSA, Collectors.com: KSA to PSA)
“Reputation / consistency?” (Collectors.com: KSA grading)

How sellers reduce buyer friction:

Show the verification lookup result for the serial number and provide high-quality scans/photos (KSA: Verification).
Price with the expectation that international buyers may discount (a recurring forum theme, not a quantified rule) (Collectors.com: Thoughts on KSA).

Public opinion: Reddit, X, and hobby communities

Access limitations (important)

Reddit: direct access to reddit.com and old.reddit.com returned 403 (blocked) from this environment at the time of writing, so Reddit thread contents could not be reviewed here. Reddit links are included for your own verification, and any Reddit-specific sentiment claims are labeled Unverified.
Blowout Forums: pages were blocked by bot protection (Incapsula) from this environment during verification attempts, so Blowout content could not be reviewed here.
X (Twitter): direct post verification may be limited from this environment; links are provided.

Recurring positive themes (from accessible sources)

Convenience for Canadian collectors: choosing a domestic option to avoid cross-border submission friction (example prompt in a Canada-based thread: Collectors.com: KSA grading reputation any better).
Clear published standards: collectors can reference an official scale with centering thresholds (unusual among smaller graders) (KSA: Card Grading Standards).
Transparent tier table on the official site: easy to understand service/quantity pricing and stated turnaround (KSA: Card Grading Services).

Recurring negative themes (from accessible sources)

Market discount vs PSA in many niches: KSA is not treated as the default slab by many buyers, especially outside Canada (forum framing and “buy the card, not the holder” advice: Collectors.com: Thoughts on KSA).
Uncertainty about grade translation / cross-grading outcomes: discussions often revolve around what a KSA grade might become at PSA and whether it is “worth” cracking/crossover (Collectors.com: KSA to PSA, Collectors.com: KSA to PSA - crackout experiences?).
Verification coverage gap for older certs: KSA’s verification tool states only 2012+ cert numbers are in the database “at this point” (KSA verification iframe).

Most common misconceptions

“KSA cert lookup covers all slabs.” The lookup explicitly warns older numbers (pre-2012) may not be in the database (KSA verification iframe).
“A KSA 10 is the same as a PSA 10.” KSA publishes its own scale definitions; “equivalency” claims are community opinion and not an official guarantee (KSA: Card Grading Standards, Collectors.com: KSA to PSA).

Controversies, trust signals, and red flags

What was searched:

Official site for policy/security/verification limitations (standards, verification, submission).
Accessible hobby forums for controversy/reputation patterns.
Major forum outlets that appear in search (Blowout Forums), but access was blocked in this environment.

Findings:

Trust signals: published grading standards with centering thresholds and published service pricing table (KSA: Card Grading Standards, KSA: Card Grading Services).
Red flags / limitations:
- Verification database limitation for older certs (2012+ note) (KSA verification iframe).
- Holder-version history is referenced but the linked “KSA Generations” page was 404 at time of verification (KSA: Card Grading FAQ’s).

No well-documented, widely reported “major scandal” story was found in the sources accessible during this pass. Treat this as Unverified, because broader web coverage (and some communities) may be blocked from this environment.

Who should use KSA Certification (and who shouldn’t)

Use KSA if:

You’re Canada-based and want a Canada-first submission workflow and CAD pricing for PC and lower-value cards (KSA: Card Grading Services).
You want a published grade-scale document with explicit centering thresholds to reference when buying/selling (KSA: Card Grading Standards).

Avoid KSA (or be selective) if:

You’re grading primarily for international resale and want the broadest buyer recognition (often PSA-led, depending on niche) (PSA guide, community examples: Collectors.com: Thoughts on KSA).
You require pop report and registry tooling as part of your collecting/investing workflow (availability is Unknown based on official sources verified here) (KSA sitemap).

Alternatives (depending on goal):

PSA: maximum mainstream resale liquidity in many segments (PSA guide).
SGC: strong vintage mindshare and a widely recognized US slab (SGC guide).
BGS: subgrades are a key differentiator for some buyers and sellers (BGS guide).

Comparison snapshot

Company	Market trust	Resale liquidity	Pricing posture	Turnaround posture	Transparency	Slab security	Best for
KSA	Medium in Canada; low outside	Low outside Canada	CAD pricing; bulk discounts	Approximate; office-dependent	Medium (published standards)	Medium (sonic seal + serial/database)	Canada-first grading, budget/PC submissions
PSA	Very high	Very high	Often premium; value-tiered	Tier-dependent; estimates	Medium-high	High (documented label security)	Fastest mainstream resale liquidity
SGC	High (esp. vintage)	High (vintage), medium (modern)	Often value-oriented	Estimates	Medium	Medium	Vintage and display aesthetics
BGS	High	High (niche-dependent)	Premium	Variable	Medium-high	Medium-high	Subgrades, modern trophy outcomes

Rationale and sources: KSA standards, services, and verification limitations (KSA: Card Grading Standards, KSA: Card Grading Services, KSA: Verification, KSA verification iframe), plus collector forum sentiment indicating cross-grading focus and buyer recognition concerns (Collectors.com: Thoughts on KSA, Collectors.com: KSA to PSA).

FAQs

Is KSA legit?

KSA operates an official grading services site with published standards and a certification lookup tool, which are basic legitimacy signals for a grading provider (KSA: Card Grading Services, KSA: Card Grading Standards, KSA: Verification).

How do I verify a KSA cert number?

Use KSA’s verification page and submit the certification number in the embedded “Certification Look Up” form (KSA: Verification, KSA verification iframe).

Does KSA’s verification database cover older cert numbers?

KSA’s embedded lookup explicitly states only “2012 and newer certification numbers have been added to the database at this point” (KSA verification iframe).

Does KSA have a pop report?

Unknown from verified official sources used for this page. No pop report tool was found in the official sitemap pages set at time of verification (KSA sitemap).

Does KSA have a registry?

Unknown from verified official sources used for this page. No registry tool was found in the official sitemap pages set at time of verification (KSA sitemap).

What is KSA’s top grade?

KSA’s standards page lists “10 - Gem Mint” as its top numeric grade (KSA: Card Grading Standards).

What does “KSA 10” mean?

KSA defines “10 - Gem Mint” as a “perfect card” with centering guidance (“50/50” front; “no worse than 60/40 on the back”) and strong corners/edges/surface attributes (KSA: Card Grading Standards).

What does “KSA 9” mean?

KSA defines “9 - Mint” with centering thresholds (“55/45 or better” front; “better than 70/30” back) and “one minor flaw” (KSA: Card Grading Standards).

What does “A - Authentic” mean?

KSA’s standards page defines “A - Authentic” as an authentic example that does not qualify for a number grade due to extremely poor condition (KSA: Card Grading Standards).

Does KSA grade TCG cards?

Yes. KSA lists separate “TCG (Trading Card Game)” service tiers and clarifies in its FAQ that TCG services are for trading card game cards (with examples like Pokemon, Yugioh, MTG, Lorcana, Digimon, Flesh and Blood) (KSA: Card Grading Services, KSA: Card Grading FAQ’s).

Does KSA grade autographed cards?

Yes, but KSA’s FAQ states that cards with aftermarket autographs must include KSA’s autograph authentication service in order for the card to be graded (KSA: Card Grading FAQ’s).

Does KSA grade everything?

No. KSA lists specific items it cannot service (including metal cards, soccer stickers, unlicensed cards, items thicker than 180pt, and certain size limits) and also lists categories it does not grade (e.g., packs, tickets, etc.) (KSA: Card Grading FAQ’s).

What are KSA’s current prices and turnaround times?

KSA publishes a tier table with prices and stated turnaround times on its card grading services page (verified 2025-12-24) (KSA: Card Grading Services).

Is KSA cheaper than PSA?

KSA’s published per-card prices include low-cost bulk tiers (CAD) on its official page; PSA’s prices are tiered differently and are not directly comparable without matching card type, service, shipping, and value tier. Use each company’s official pricing pages for current comparison (KSA: Card Grading Services, PSA pricing).

Will KSA add value vs PSA?

Often no for international resale where PSA is the default slab for many buyers, but it can be rational for Canadian PC/local resale workflows. Community threads frequently discuss KSA-to-PSA regrading when the goal is maximum buyer recognition (Collectors.com: Thoughts on KSA, Collectors.com: KSA to PSA).

Sources

Official

Reputable hobby/news

None used for key claims in this write-up. (Most KSA facts above are cited from KSA’s official pages and accessible community discussions; if you have a preferred hobby publication covering KSA history/ownership, share it and we can add it.)

Community sentiment (Reddit/X/forums)

Directories/reference lists

None used for key claims in this write-up (directories are useful for discovery, but key facts here are sourced from official pages and primary forum discussions).

Score explanations (with sources)

Market acceptance (4/10): KSA has a credible Canada-first presence, but community threads show ongoing buyer skepticism and frequent PSA cross-grading discussions (Collectors.com: Thoughts on KSA, Collectors.com: KSA to PSA).
Transparency (6/10): KSA publishes detailed grade definitions and centering thresholds and provides a verification tool, but the verification database has an explicit coverage gap (2012+ note) and pop/registry tooling is unclear (KSA: Card Grading Standards, KSA: Verification, KSA verification iframe).
Value for money (7/10): official table shows low bulk pricing in CAD and clear tiers; value depends on whether you need global resale premiums (KSA: Card Grading Services).
Resale liquidity (3/10): community discussion implies slower resale and more discounting outside Canada versus PSA-led slabs, with common “crack and resubmit” narratives (Collectors.com: Thoughts on KSA).