CGC Grading: Is It Worth Considering Alongside PSA and ACE?

March 22, 2026

If you’ve been collecting graded Pokemon cards for a while, the chances are you’ve built up a pretty firm opinion on which grading company you prefer. For most UK collectors, that conversation usually starts and ends with PSA or ACE. But there’s a third name that’s been quietly gaining a lot of ground over the past couple of years, and that’s CGC.

So is CGC actually worth considering alongside PSA and ACE? In this post we’ll break down what CGC brings to the table, where it stands in 2026, and whether it deserves a spot in your collection.

A Quick Recap on the Grading Landscape

Before we get into CGC specifically, it’s worth reminding ourselves of where the other two stand.

PSA is still considered the gold standard worldwide. A PSA 10 carries the most weight on the global resale market, particularly for vintage and high-value modern cards. The downside for UK collectors has always been the logistics, sending cards across the Atlantic, dealing with customs, and waiting months for them to return.

ACE is the homegrown favourite. Based right here in the UK, ACE has built a loyal following thanks to fast turnaround times, sleek slab design and very reasonable pricing. For collectors focused on personal display or selling within the UK and Europe, ACE is hard to beat.

So where does CGC fit into all of this?

So What Is CGC?

CGC (Certified Guaranty Company) started out grading comic books back in the early 2000s and has since expanded into trading cards, including Pokemon. They’re a well-established name in the wider collectibles world, but for Pokemon specifically, they’ve really started picking up momentum more recently.

The most significant development for us in the UK was the opening of CGC’s London office in Bloomsbury. It’s worth being clear on what this actually means though, because it’s often misunderstood. The London office is a submission centre, not a grading facility. The actual grading still takes place at CGC’s headquarters in Sarasota, Florida.

So what’s the benefit? The London office handles all of the logistics for you. You ship your cards to Bloomsbury (or drop them off in person by appointment), and they take care of the round trip shipping, insurance and customs side of things. That’s a much smoother experience for UK collectors than arranging an international submission yourself, even if the cards do still make the journey across the Atlantic behind the scenes.

The Pros of Going With CGC

There are a few genuine advantages to choosing CGC, especially if you’re collecting from the UK:

UK based submission centre with their London office, the logistics of shipping, insurance and customs are handled for you, no need to organise an international submission yourself
Reasonable turnaround times typically four to eight weeks depending on the tier and queue, though this can vary as cards still need to travel to and from the US
Consistent grading standards CGC has a reputation for being strict but fair, and pop reports are easy to access
Slab design the CGC slab presents Pokemon artwork really nicely, with a clean look that a lot of collectors genuinely love
Strong on modern CGC has carved out a real niche grading modern English and Japanese Pokemon cards efficiently

The Things to Be Aware Of

CGC isn’t perfect for every situation though, and it’s only fair to point out where it falls short compared to the other two.

For vintage cards, particularly anything from the WOTC era, PSA still holds a noticeable premium on the resale market. If you’re grading a Base Set Charizard or a 1st Edition Blastoise, PSA is still the safer bet for maximum resale value.

The premium gap between PSA 10s and CGC 10s has closed dramatically on modern cards, in some cases down to just 5-10%, but it’s still there. So if you’re grading purely with resale in mind on a high value card, PSA may still squeeze a bit more out of it.

CGC also doesn’t carry quite the same brand recognition with casual collectors as PSA does, although that’s changing fast. More and more UK collectors are happily buying CGC slabs, especially when the price is right.

So, Is CGC Worth Considering?

In our opinion, yes, absolutely.

CGC has gone from being the underdog to being a serious third option that genuinely deserves consideration alongside PSA and ACE. For modern Pokemon cards, particularly Japanese sets and recent English releases, CGC offers a really strong balance of grading quality, turnaround time and resale potential, with the London submission centre making the process a whole lot smoother for UK collectors than going it alone.

We see it as another solid tool in the collector’s toolbox rather than a direct replacement for the other two. PSA still wins for vintage and absolute top-end resale. ACE remains brilliant for UK-focused collectors who love a clean slab and fast service. CGC sits comfortably in between, offering something a bit different to both.

Ultimately the “best” grader depends on what you’re grading, why you’re grading it, and where you plan to sell it (if at all). For a lot of UK collectors in 2026, having all three options on the table is no bad thing.

Browse Our CGC Slabs

If you’re curious to see what CGC slabs look like in person or you’re looking to add one to your collection, we’ve got a growing selection of CGC graded Pokemon cards available on the website, alongside our usual range of PSA and ACE graded cards. As always, every slab on the site comes with clear front and back photos plus a 360 video, so you know exactly what you’re getting before you click buy.

New slabs are added on a regular basis, so it’s well worth checking in or signing up to our mailing list to be the first to know when something new lands.