Over Time Grading (OTG): Complete Guide

In trading cards, “OTG” most plausibly refers to Over Time Grading, the Canadian sports-card grading service at overtimegrading.com. “OTG” can also mean unrelated things (common acronyms like “on-the-go” or “off the grid”), but those do not match the trading-card grading context and do not provide a grading scale + registry lookup + submission form downloads. (overtimegrading.com)

Quick facts

Where Over Time Grading fits in the grading market

OTG is best understood as a Canada-first sports-card grader with clearly posted turnaround tiers (Bronze/Silver/Gold) and a published 10-point grading scale, but with much lower mainstream buyer recognition than the “big three” most buyers anchor to (PSA/BGS/SGC). OTG can be a practical choice for local submissions, but resale can require more buyer education and may trade at a discount versus PSA in many buyer pools.

Collector sentiment example: one r/sportscards thread explicitly frames the question as “does it actually help the value of the card like it does with the other ‘big three’” when considering a card graded by Overtime Grading in Canada, which is a common resale-liquidity concern with regional graders. (r/sportscards: “For the Canadian Collectors”)

Services offered

Based on OTG’s official pages, the clearly documented services are:

• Card grading tiers (business-day turnaround):
  • Bronze: 30 business days; $15 CAD/card; bulk (100+) $12/card (overtimegrading.com)
  • Silver: 15 business days; $20 CAD/card; bulk (100+) $15/card (overtimegrading.com)
  • Gold: 5 business days; $25 CAD/card; bulk (100+) $20/card (overtimegrading.com)
• Bulk submissions:
  • Bulk pricing is explicitly called out for “100 cards or more” on the packages and on OTG’s pricing page (overtimegrading.com, Pricing)
• Return shipping insurance (add-on):
  • Optional insurance priced at $2.25 per $100 of coverage up to $5000 coverage (overtimegrading.com, Pricing)
• Drop-off option:
  • OTG offers an in-store drop-off at “Overtime Sports Cards” (as stated on the OTG homepage) (overtimegrading.com)

Services that are not clearly documented on official pages referenced here (treat as Unknown unless OTG publishes details):

• Authentication-only submissions
• Reholder / crossover / regrade programs
• Grader notes / imaging reports
• Pop report

Grading scale and standards (deep dive)

The scale and grade definitions

OTG publishes a grade-by-grade 10-point scale with written definitions. Examples from the official scale include:

• 10 Pristine: “perfectly centered” with sharp focus/corners and no allowable scratches/marks; “virtually perfect” (OTG grading scale)
• GEM-MT 9.5: allows slight printing/manufacturing imperfections or scratches if they don’t detract; states “60/40 or better centering” (OTG grading scale)
• Lower grades include increasingly permissive centering ranges and damage allowances (creases, stains, missing pieces, etc.) (OTG grading scale)

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

OTG’s published scale includes multiple centering tolerances by grade tier, such as:

• 9.5 and 9: “60/40 or better centering” (OTG grading scale)
• 8.5 and below: examples include “70/30 or better”, “75/25 or better”, “80/20 or better”, and “90/10 or better” depending on grade (OTG grading scale)

OTG also describes its “10-point certification process” as including examination of centering, corners, color, borders, factory cut, finish, focus, picture quality, imperfections, and authenticity. (overtimegrading.com)

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

OTG positions itself as “hobby veterans and collectors” providing “impartial, experienced authentication and grading,” and describes cards being “measured and examined thoroughly under magnification with optimal lighting.” (overtimegrading.com)

How to interpret the label (concrete example)

Field-friendly way to interpret an OTG slab:

1. Read the label grade as a 10-point grade (e.g., “10 Pristine”, “GEM-MT 9.5”). OTG’s published scale defines what those labels mean. (OTG grading scale)
2. Use the registration serial number on the label to look up the card in OTG’s Card Registry to confirm the recorded entry (exact matches only). (Card Registry)

Slab, label, and security features

OTG’s official documentation is limited on holder construction details (materials/weld/QR/NFC). What is explicitly stated:

• Tamper-evident decal: OTG states that attempting to remove the “tamper evident OTG certification decal” renders the certification null/void. (OTG grading scale)
• Cert voiding on cracking: OTG states that breaking open an OTG holder voids certification. (OTG grading scale)

Security features that are Unknown / not described on the official pages referenced here:

• QR codes, NFC chips, holograms
• Serial-number format rules
• Published label/version change log

Verification and data tools

Cert lookup workflow (step-by-step)

OTG’s “Card Registry” page describes a search form:

1. Go to Card Registry.
2. Enter the “registration serial number” from the label and search (OTG warns “Exact matches only”). (Card Registry)
3. Review the returned result (if any) to confirm the registry entry matches the slab you’re holding. (Card Registry)

Pop report limitations

OTG provides a registry lookup but does not advertise a population report on the official navigation reviewed here, so you cannot (as of this verification date) rely on OTG for “pop count” scarcity checks the way PSA/CGC/TAG-style pop reports allow. (overtimegrading.com, Card Registry)

Registry mechanics

OTG’s Card Registry is a lookup form (not a set registry) and appears designed for verification via serial-number search rather than collection management or competitive registry sets. (Card Registry)

Grader notes / reports (if any)

Unknown (no grader notes or report product is described on the official pages referenced here). (overtimegrading.com)

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

Pricing model

OTG publishes per-card prices by turnaround tier (Bronze/Silver/Gold) and explicitly lists bulk pricing for “100 cards or more.” (overtimegrading.com)

OTG’s submission form PDF also includes a bulk price selector and indicates that tax (GST) is added. (Submission form PDF)

Shipping/insurance expectations

OTG repeatedly emphasizes:

• Use insured/tracked shipping to send submissions (How it works)
• Returns are sent via trackable shipping and optional insurance can be added (overtimegrading.com)
• Optional insurance cost is $2.25 per $100 of coverage up to $5000 maximum coverage (overtimegrading.com, Pricing, Submission form PDF)

Current prices and stated TAT (verified 2025-12-25)

Submission experience

Step-by-step submission overview (official flow)

OTG publishes an “easy 5 step process”:

1. Fill out the submission form (fillable PDF) and double-check your email/address (How it works)
2. Prepare cards in sleeves and top-loaders or semi-rigid holders; pack flat with padding; include completed forms (How it works)
3. Ship using insured/tracked shipping to the published address (How it works, Get in touch)
4. Pay after grading is completed via invoice; OTG lists EMT/PayPal/credit card (How it works)
5. OTG emails receipt acknowledgment and later tracking after grading + payment (How it works)

Packaging rules + common pitfalls

From OTG’s own instructions:

• Use sleeves + top-loaders or semi-rigid holders; ship in a small box with padding; pack flat (How it works)
• OTG states it is not responsible for damage during shipping, so packaging is on you (How it works)

Resale liquidity: what happens on the secondary market

What to expect on eBay/Whatnot/shows

Hard data is limited in publicly available sources. A practical expectation for many regional graders is:

• Faster/cheaper grading can be offset by more buyer skepticism and slower resale compared to PSA in mainstream buyer pools.

The one clearly relevant Reddit discussion found during this research explicitly frames the decision around whether OTG “actually helps the value of the card like it does with the other ‘big three’,” which is exactly the resale-liquidity risk collectors should model. (r/sportscards: “For the Canadian Collectors”)

Typical buyer objections

• “I don’t recognize this slab, so I’m pricing it below PSA/SGC/BGS.”
• “Can I verify it quickly?” (OTG does have a serial lookup, which helps.) (Card Registry)

How sellers overcome them

• Provide the registration serial number and a screenshot/link to OTG’s registry lookup result to reduce counterfeit risk (Card Registry)
• Price realistically and target buyer pools familiar with Canadian regional graders (community framing example: OTG is discussed specifically “for Canadian collectors”). (r/sportscards: “For the Canadian Collectors”)

Public opinion: Reddit, X, and hobby communities

What was accessible in this environment

• Reddit was accessible via the public API, but OTG/Overtime Grading appears to have a small discussion footprint, so only limited threads were discoverable.
• X (Twitter) search is login-gated in this environment, so posts could not be reviewed directly. (X search: overtimegrading)

Recurring positive themes (with sources)

• Clear pricing + turnaround tiers are easy for collectors to understand (official tier table is prominent) (overtimegrading.com)
• Published grading scale (collectors can read what “10 Pristine” means) (OTG grading scale)
• Some hobbyists share “results” videos when they get cards back (example: “Overtime Grading Review and Card Results”) (YouTube video)

Recurring negative themes (with sources)

• Resale uncertainty vs big incumbents (explicitly raised by collectors comparing to PSA/SGC/BGS) (r/sportscards: “For the Canadian Collectors”)
• Limited tooling compared to top graders: registry lookup exists, but pop report + grader notes are not advertised in official navigation (Card Registry, overtimegrading.com)

Most common misconceptions

• “OTG has no verification”: OTG does provide a registry lookup by registration serial number (exact match). (Card Registry)
• “All graders have pop reports”: OTG provides a registry lookup; a population report is not clearly advertised on official pages reviewed here. (overtimegrading.com, Card Registry)

Controversies, trust signals, and red flags

What was searched

• OTG official pages for grading scale, submission process, pricing, registry lookup, and contact info (overtimegrading.com, How it works, OTG grading scale, Pricing, Card Registry, Get in touch)
• Community sources discoverable without login-gated access (Reddit thread + Facebook group + a YouTube results video) (r/sportscards thread, Facebook group, YouTube video)

Findings

• No major scandals or policy-change controversies were found in the accessible sources above.
• Red flags are mostly “newer/regional grader” classics:
  • Limited public ecosystem tooling versus incumbents (no pop report advertised, no grader notes described) (Card Registry, overtimegrading.com)
  • Market acceptance and resale liquidity depend heavily on buyer pool (explicitly raised in the Canadian collectors thread) (r/sportscards)

Who should use Over Time Grading (and who shouldn’t)

Use OTG if…

• You are Canada-based and want a published grading scale plus a posted tier menu for turnaround and pricing (overtimegrading.com, OTG grading scale)
• Your card value fits your risk tolerance for a regional slab’s resale discount, and you can use the registry lookup to reduce counterfeit risk when selling (Card Registry)
• You want optional return-shipping insurance priced per coverage amount (Pricing, Submission form PDF)

Avoid OTG if…

• You’re grading to sell quickly to the broadest audience (many buyers still anchor to PSA/BGS/SGC), and you don’t want to educate buyers (r/sportscards)
• You need pop reports / grader notes / mature registry infrastructure (Card Registry, overtimegrading.com)

Comparison snapshot

Rationale sources: OTG’s published tier menu, insurance policy, registry lookup, and grading scale (overtimegrading.com, Pricing, Card Registry, OTG grading scale); buyer-recognition framing from the Canadian collectors thread (r/sportscards).

FAQs

1. Is Over Time Grading (OTG) legit? OTG operates a public grading service with published pricing tiers, a posted grading scale, downloadable submission forms, and a registry lookup tool. (overtimegrading.com, OTG grading scale, Card Registry)
2. How do I verify an OTG slab? Use OTG’s Card Registry and search the registration serial number (exact matches only). (Card Registry)
3. Does OTG have a population report? A pop report is not advertised on official pages reviewed here; OTG provides a registry lookup instead. (Card Registry, overtimegrading.com)
4. Does OTG have subgrades?Unknown; OTG publishes a grading scale and describes grading factors, but does not describe label subgrades on the official pages reviewed here. (overtimegrading.com, OTG grading scale)
5. What is OTG’s top grade? OTG lists “10 Pristine” as the top grade on its published scale. (OTG grading scale)
6. What are OTG’s pricing tiers and turnaround times? OTG posts Bronze (30 bd, $15 CAD), Silver (15 bd, $20 CAD), Gold (5 bd, $25 CAD) and bulk pricing for 100+ cards. (overtimegrading.com)
7. Does OTG offer bulk pricing? Yes: OTG explicitly posts bulk rates for 100+ cards. (overtimegrading.com, Pricing)
8. When do I pay OTG? OTG states payment is required once grading is completed and they are ready to return ship, and they will email an invoice. (overtimegrading.com, How it works)
9. What payment methods does OTG accept? OTG lists EMT, PayPal, and credit card. (How it works)
10. How should I package cards for OTG? OTG recommends sleeves + top-loaders or semi-rigid cases, shipped flat in a small box with padding. (How it works)
11. Does OTG offer return shipping insurance? Yes; OTG lists optional return insurance priced at $2.25 per $100 of coverage (up to $5000). (overtimegrading.com, Pricing)
12. What card sizes does OTG accept? OTG states it “only grades standard 35 point” cards and describes standard size as 2.5 x 3.5 inches (plus/minus 2.5mm). (OTG grading scale)
13. Are OTG slabs tamper-evident? OTG states attempting to remove the tamper-evident certification decal voids certification, and cracking the holder voids certification. (OTG grading scale)
14. Will OTG add value versus PSA? Often not in broad buyer pools; collectors explicitly raise “big three” resale questions when considering OTG. Treat OTG as most valuable for local convenience and cost/turnaround, not guaranteed premiums. (r/sportscards, overtimegrading.com)

Sources

Official

• https://overtimegrading.com/
• https://overtimegrading.com/how-it-works
• https://overtimegrading.com/otg-grading-scale
• https://overtimegrading.com/find-card
• https://overtimegrading.com/pricing
• https://overtimegrading.com/get-in-touch
• https://overtimegrading.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/OTG-Fillable-v3.3.pdf
• https://overtimegrading.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/OTG-AddCard-Fillable-v2.pdf

Reputable hobby/news

• None found in accessible sources during this verification pass (OTG appears to have limited coverage in major hobby outlets as of 2025-12-25).

Community sentiment (Reddit/X/forums)

• https://www.reddit.com/r/sportscards/comments/12qtv8o/for_the_canadian_collectors/
• https://x.com/search?q=overtimegrading&f=live
• https://x.com/search?q=%22Overtime%20Grading%22&f=live
• https://www.facebook.com/groups/1503345999799799
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbyBtQH0xTc

Directories/reference lists

• None used for key claims in this write-up.