Platin Grading Service (PGS): Complete Guide

PGS here refers to Platin Grading Service, a Germany-based third-party grading service operating via https://platin-grading.de/ (Impressum, Home). The acronym “PGS” can also appear in unrelated contexts (e.g., other businesses, games, or “platinum” rankings), but the platin-grading.de site and its grading workflow confirm the trading-card grading meaning (Gradingprozess, FAQ).

Quick facts

Fact	Details
Official name + official website	Platin Grading Service (PGS); official site: platin-grading.de (Impressum)
Founded (year) + founders (if known)	Unknown (year). Legal entity lists managing directors: Mert Cingoez & Erdem Cingoez (Impressum).
Headquarters + operating countries	Address: Wikingerstr. 70, 51107 Köln, Germany (Impressum). Operating countries/shipping coverage: Unknown / Unreliable (the “Versand & Lieferung” page appears to contain template placeholder text) (Versand & Lieferung).
Ownership / parent company (if any)	PlatinGrading GmbH (Handelsregister Köln HRB 105522) (Impressum).
What they grade (sports, TCG, non-sports, memorabilia)	PGS explicitly lists TCGs and more, including Pokémon, Yu-Gi-Oh!, Magic: The Gathering, One Piece, Lorcana, Digimon, and also Topps/Panini (incl. stickers) (FAQ).
Grading scale + top grade label	Numeric scale 1.0–10.0. Top label: 10.0 PERFECT, described as “no centering tolerance” (“keine toleranz in der zentrierung”) (Gradingskala).
Subgrades (Y/N) + how many categories	Yes (conditional): PGS states “Subgrade-Bewertungen are always included when the overall grade is 7 or higher” (exact subgrade categories are Unknown from the pages verified here) (Standard Grading product, Express Grading product).
Pop report (Y/N) + link	No official population report found in the site’s published page sitemap as of 2025-12-24 (page sitemap).
Registry (Y/N) + link	No official registry found in the site’s published page sitemap as of 2025-12-24 (page sitemap).
Certification verification / lookup (Y/N) + link	Yes: “Kartensuche” verification page prompts users to enter a card number to verify (“Kartennummer”) (Status, English status).
Notable differentiator (1 sentence)	PGS combines barcode/QR verification + ultrasonic sealing + UV-protected acrylic holder as core trust and preservation features (Gradingprozess, FAQ).

Where Platin Grading Service fits in the grading market

PGS is best understood as a Germany/EU-focused grader competing on local convenience (shorter shipping paths for EU collectors) and speed tiers (they state service durations “between 1 and 15 business days”) rather than global resale dominance (Gradingprozess).

Collectors should assume:

Buyer trust is regional: in EU collector circles that already recognize PGS slabs, friction is lower; outside those circles, buyers may treat it as “unknown slab” and price accordingly (this is a market-behavior observation, not a quantified premium/discount) (Trustpilot).
PGS is not positioning itself as “PSA replacement”: their own messaging focuses on process, slab protection, and verification rather than marketplace comps (Gradingprozess, Status).

Services offered

PGS sells grading as productized tiers in its shop:

Standard Grading (stated processing time 10–15 business days) (Standard Grading)
Express Grading (stated processing time 4–8 business days) (Express Grading)
Premium Express Grading (stated processing time 1–5 business days) (Premium Express Grading)
Booster Grading (PGS states subgrades are not available for booster grading) (Booster Grading)
Case change (“PGS Case wechsel”): “change to the newest model, including new label; only PGS grading cases” (PGS Case wechsel)

Authentication-only, crossover, and reholder policies beyond the “case change” product are Unknown from the publicly verified pages here (Shop, FAQ).

Grading scale and standards (deep dive)

The scale and grade definitions

PGS publishes a plain-language grade definition list on its “Gradingskala” page (examples):

10.0 PERFECT: “no tolerance in centering” (keine toleranz in der zentrierung)
10.0 GEM MT, 9.5 MINT+, 9.0 MINT, down to 1.0 POOR with brief condition descriptions (Gradingskala).

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

PGS does not publish numeric centering tolerances or measurement rules on the grading-scale page beyond the statement that 10.0 PERFECT has “no centering tolerance.” Specific thresholds for corners/edges/surface are Unknown from the pages verified here (Gradingskala).

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

PGS describes a process based on visual inspection and “Begutachtung” where “every small thing like corners or edges influences the grade,” which implies a primarily human evaluation workflow (no automation claims were found in the verified pages) (Gradingprozess).

How to interpret the label (concrete example)

Field-ready way to interpret a PGS slab:

Card number / barcode: PGS says each card gets a unique barcode and stores data in its database so information can be retrieved later (Gradingprozess).
QR access to “digital grading”: PGS says scanning the QR code takes you to its website for “digital grading” (exact content of “digital grading” is Unknown from public pages alone) (FAQ).

Example workflow: if you see a PGS slab labeled 9.5, you should verify the card number on the Status page and confirm the record matches the physical slab (Status).

Slab, label, and security features

Holder materials and construction

PGS repeatedly describes its holder as acrylic and UV resistant:

Process page: “Acryl Grading Case … UV-geschützt” (Gradingprozess)
Product descriptions: “Material: 100% Acryl; UV-beständig; … wasserfest; staubdicht; manipulationssicher” (Express Grading)

Sealing / tamper resistance

PGS claims:

The case is sealed via ultrasonic technique (“Ultraschall-Technik”), without heat or glue (Gradingprozess)
Opening the case without damage is “impossible” (“unmöglich … ohne diese zu beschädigen”) (FAQ)

Anti-counterfeit measures

PGS describes multiple label checks:

QR code to access “digital grading” on their site (FAQ)
A logo printed with a silver security foil and visible under blacklight (“nur unter Schwarzlicht sichtbar”) (FAQ)
Database storage + unique barcode per card (Gradingprozess)

Label/version changes over time

PGS sells a “case change … to the newest model, including new label,” which implies there are label/case versions. Public changelogs for label versions are Unknown from the pages verified here (PGS Case wechsel).

Verification and data tools

Cert lookup workflow (step-by-step)

Go to the verification page: Status (or English status).
Enter the card number (“Kartennummer”) from the slab label.
Confirm the returned record matches your slab (card identity + grade). PGS frames this as verification (“verifizieren”) (Status).

Pop report limitations

No population-report tool is linked in the public page sitemap as of 2025-12-24, so collectors should treat population tracking as not available unless PGS launches a dedicated tool later (page sitemap).

Registry mechanics

No registry is linked in the public page sitemap as of 2025-12-24 (page sitemap).

Grader notes / reports

PGS references “digital grading” access via QR code, but what it contains (e.g., grader notes, scans, defect maps) is Unknown from the public FAQ alone (FAQ).

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

Pricing model

PGS prices grading as per-item service products with stated processing-time ranges and VAT included on the product pages (as of 2025-12-24). Availability can change (e.g., Premium Express shows as “Out of stock” at time of verification) (Premium Express Grading).

Subgrades: PGS says subgrades are “always included” when the overall grade is 7 or higher (card grading tiers), but not available for booster grading (Standard Grading, Booster Grading).

Shipping/insurance expectations (what is actually published)

PGS states in its grading process that cards are “fully insured” during their time at PGS (Gradingprozess). In the FAQ, PGS states cards are insured “from arrival to return shipping,” and adds a DHL-insured return-shipping range for “items valued 500€ to 25,000€” (FAQ).

Separate “Versand & Lieferung” and “Zahlungsweisen” pages appear to contain template placeholder text (including bracketed values and non-PGS example data), so treat them as not reliable until corrected by PGS (Versand & Lieferung, Zahlungsweisen).

Current prices table (tier, price, stated TAT) (verified 2025-12-24)

Tier	Price (EUR)	Stated processing time	Source
Standard Grading	15.90	10–15 Werktage	Standard Grading
Express Grading	24.95	4–8 Werktage	Express Grading
Premium Express Grading	29.95	1–5 Werktage	Premium Express Grading

Stated turnaround vs user-reported reality

Stated (official): PGS states the grading service duration “can be between 1 and 15 business days” depending on the selected service, and lists tier-specific ranges on product pages (Gradingprozess, Express Grading).
User-reported (limited): Public user feedback is easiest to access via Trustpilot; PGS has an aggregated rating on Trustpilot (sample size and review quality vary) (Trustpilot).

Submission experience

Step-by-step submission overview (as published)

Buy your chosen grading service in the shop and choose whether you want to submit by post or drop off in person (“per Postweg … oder … persönlich”) (Gradingprozess).
After order confirmation, PGS says you receive further info on how to send your cards (Gradingprozess).
Cards are documented under camera on intake (“Erstzustand … unter der Kamera”) and stored securely; PGS states they are insured during their stay (Gradingprozess).
PGS grades and labels your card; data is stored in a database and tied to a unique barcode (Gradingprozess).
After grading, PGS says the card is packaged and shipped the same day (“noch am selben Tag … versendet”) (Gradingprozess).

Packaging rules + common pitfalls

PGS does not publish detailed packaging instructions (e.g., sleeve/toploader/Card Saver rules) on the “Gradingprozess” page. Until PGS publishes a packaging checklist, treat packaging expectations as Unknown and ask for instructions after ordering (as PGS states it sends more information post-order) (Gradingprozess).

Resale liquidity: what happens on the secondary market

PGS’s resale outcome is largely driven by two factors:

Buyer recognition: outside PGS-aware buyer pools, unfamiliar slabs usually require an explanation and live verification to close a sale (Status, FAQ).
Trust in grading consistency: PGS’s AGB explicitly states its grades are a “subjective assessment” and disclaims liability for differences versus other graders; this matters because cross-grader regrades are a common trust test in the hobby (AGB).

Practical selling playbook:

Always include a screenshot/photo sequence showing the verification result from PGS’s Status lookup to reduce buyer friction (Status).
If your buyer cares about centering rules: be explicit that PGS does not publish numeric centering tolerances beyond the “no centering tolerance” claim for 10.0 PERFECT (Gradingskala).

Public opinion: Reddit, X, and hobby communities

Access limitations (important)

Reddit: Searches on old.reddit.com for “Platin Grading Service” / “platin-grading.de” returned no results at time of writing. If Reddit threads exist under different wording, they may not be indexed, or discussion may be minimal. Example search URLs: https://old.reddit.com/search?q=platin-grading.de and https://old.reddit.com/search?q=%22Platin%20Grading%20Service%22.
X (Twitter): Alternative frontends tested (e.g., xcancel.com) returned server errors, and nitter.net returned empty results in this environment. Because of that, I can’t reliably collect or validate 5 X post URLs here.

Given these constraints, sentiment below relies more heavily on Trustpilot + YouTube creator discussions, which are accessible and verifiable.

Recurring positive themes (5–10)

Faster turnaround options (tier ranges published as 1–15 business days depending on service) are attractive to EU collectors (Gradingprozess, Express Grading).
Security/verification features (barcode + QR + blacklight/security elements) are repeatedly highlighted in official materials and discussed by users reviewing the service (FAQ, Trustpilot).
Some collectors like the promise of subgrades included for grades ≥ 7 without extra add-ons (Standard Grading).

Recurring negative themes (5–10)

Lower buyer recognition outside EU/PGS-aware markets can hurt resale liquidity (common pattern for smaller graders; corroborated by mixed third-party review sentiment) (Trustpilot).
Lack of public numeric standards (centering tolerances, measurement methods) can make “why is it a 10?” conversations harder for sellers (Gradingskala).
Legal language explicitly states grading is subjective and disclaims responsibility for differences with other grading companies, which may worry high-end submitters (AGB).

Most common misconceptions

“Subgrades are always included”: PGS states subgrades are included when the overall grade is 7 or higher, and booster grading explicitly has no subgrades (Express Grading, Booster Grading).
“QR code = impossible to counterfeit”: QR verification helps, but collectors should still treat online verification as necessary-but-not-sufficient and inspect the physical slab, since counterfeiters often replicate basic visuals (FAQ, Status).

Controversies, trust signals, and red flags

What was searched (and what was found)

Official pages in the public sitemap for: controversies, lawsuits, ownership changes, policy changes: No dedicated pages found beyond standard company/legal pages and grading workflow docs (page sitemap).
Third-party review aggregation: Trustpilot page exists and provides an aggregate rating and review count (review contents can be mixed quality) (Trustpilot).

Trust signals (verifiable)

Legal entity and location are explicitly disclosed (GmbH + registry) (Impressum).
Verifiable lookup tool exists (Status page) and PGS claims database-backed storage with unique barcode per card (Status, Gradingprozess).
Process documentation claims intake recording (“under camera”) and full insurance coverage during custody (Gradingprozess).

Red flags / caution areas (verifiable)

The published “Versand & Lieferung” and “Zahlungsweisen” pages contain template placeholders, which is a transparency risk until corrected (Versand & Lieferung, Zahlungsweisen).
PGS’s AGB emphasizes grading is subjective and disclaims liability for differences with other grading companies (this doesn’t mean “bad,” but it matters for collectors who expect cross-grader comparability) (AGB).

Who should use Platin Grading Service (and who shouldn’t)

Use PGS if:

You’re primarily collecting TCG in Europe and want local logistics and published turnaround tiers (FAQ, Gradingprozess).
You care about slab/label security features like barcode/QR verification and blacklight-visible label elements (FAQ, Status).
You want subgrades included for higher overall grades (≥ 7) without selecting a special add-on (Express Grading).

Avoid PGS if:

You’re grading mainly to maximize resale liquidity in broad international markets (PGS recognition is likely more limited than PSA/BGS/SGC/CGC) (Trustpilot).
You need published, numeric grading tolerances and measurement transparency (Gradingskala).

Comparison snapshot

Company	Market trust	Resale liquidity	Pricing posture	Turnaround posture	Transparency	Slab security	Best for
Platin Grading Service (PGS)	Medium-low (regional)	Low-medium (regional)	Lower-cost EU option	Published tier ranges 1–15 business days	Medium	High (claimed)	EU TCG collectors who use verification
PSA	High	High	Premium in many tiers	Tier-dependent	Medium	High	Maximum buyer recognition
BGS	High	Medium-high	Premium	Tier-dependent	Medium	Medium-high	Subgrades / premium labels
SGC	High (esp. vintage)	Medium-high	Often value-positioned	Often positioned as fast	Medium	Medium	Vintage-focused collectors
CGC Cards	Medium-high (TCG)	Medium	Competitive	Tier-dependent	Medium-high	Medium	TCG + tooling (pop/registry)

Rationale sources: PGS tier durations and slab feature claims (Gradingprozess, Express Grading, FAQ); PSA/BGS/SGC/CGC comparisons are qualitative market observations and should be validated against your buyer pool (no single authoritative global “liquidity index” exists).

FAQs

Is PGS legit? PGS is operated by PlatinGrading GmbH, registered in Cologne (HRB 105522) with a published address and contact details (Impressum).
How do I verify a PGS-graded card? Use the Status page and enter the card number (“Kartennummer”) from the slab label (Status).
Does PGS have a pop report? No population-report tool is linked in the public page sitemap as of 2025-12-24 (page sitemap).
Does PGS have a registry? No registry tool is linked in the public page sitemap as of 2025-12-24 (page sitemap).
Does PGS give subgrades? PGS states subgrades are included when the overall grade is 7 or higher (for card grading tiers). Booster grading explicitly does not include subgrades (Express Grading, Booster Grading).
What does “10.0 PERFECT” mean at PGS? PGS defines 10.0 PERFECT as “flawless new card” and states “no centering tolerance” (Gradingskala).
What cards can PGS grade? PGS lists TCGs and more (Pokémon, Yu-Gi-Oh!, One Piece, MTG, etc.) and includes Topps/Panini (incl. stickers) (FAQ).
How fast is PGS? PGS states service duration varies by tier and can be 1–15 business days, and publishes tier ranges on product pages (Gradingprozess, Premium Express Grading).
How is the slab sealed? PGS states the case is sealed using ultrasonic technique without heat or glue (Gradingprozess).
Is the slab UV-protected? PGS claims the acrylic grading case is UV protected/UV resistant (Gradingprozess, Express Grading).
Can the case be opened and resealed? PGS states it is impossible to open without damaging the case (“unmöglich … ohne … zu beschädigen”) (FAQ).
Will a PGS slab add value vs PSA? This is market-dependent. PGS is more likely to add value in EU buyer pools that recognize it; PSA generally has broader global recognition. PGS itself states grading is subjective and provides no guarantee of comparability to other graders (AGB).
What if another grader disagrees with PGS? PGS’s AGB explicitly states it does not take liability for differences between its grades and other grading companies’ grades (AGB).
Do they grade fakes? PGS states counterfeits are generally not graded and reserves the right to treat suspected counterfeits as an attempted fraud (“Betrugsversuch”) (AGB).
What is “PGS Case wechsel”? A paid service to switch to the newest case model including a new label, for PGS cases only (PGS Case wechsel).

Unknown: No major hobby/news coverage was found and verified in accessible sources for this write-up.

Community sentiment (Reddit/X/forums)

Directories/reference lists

Not used for key claims in this write-up.

Score explanations (with sources)

Market acceptance (4/10): PGS publishes a real verification tool and is a registered German GmbH, but public sentiment signals are primarily regional and limited vs global incumbents (Impressum, Status, Trustpilot).
Transparency (6/10): PGS publishes a grading scale, a process overview, and verification, but does not publish numeric centering tolerances or detailed measurement rules and has no pop/registry tooling (Gradingskala, Gradingprozess, page sitemap).
Value for money (7/10): Published per-card prices and turnaround tiers are competitive, with subgrades included for grades ≥ 7 (tier-dependent) (Standard Grading, Express Grading).
Resale liquidity (3/10): Smaller-grader liquidity is typically limited outside its strongest regional buyer pools; PGS itself provides no resale guarantees and emphasizes subjectivity and non-liability for cross-grader differences (AGB, Trustpilot).