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CGC: Certified Guaranty Company US
CGC is the friendlier alternative to PSA. They accept BCW semi-rigids, which are a bit more flexible. Their slab is slightly wider, so plan for a matching toploader. Off to Sarasota, Florida.
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2026 tariffs
Identity
- Founded : 4 January 2000, cards division (CGC Cards) rebranded in 2020
- Parent company : Certified Collectibles Group (CCG, since 1987)
- Headquarters : Sarasota, Florida
- EU office : Munich (Germany), full-time TCG hub since January 2026
- Sister brands : NGC (coins), PMG (paper money), CGC Comics, ASG (stamps), JSA (autographs)
- Market position : #2 globally after PSA, 110M+ collectibles certified across CCG
Slab & label
- Dimensions : ~123 × 89 mm, slightly wider/taller than a PSA slab
- Label : CGC hologram, unique cert #, barcode + QR, front/back imagery on some tiers, color-coded (blue Standard, yellow Signature)
- Security : Hologram + microprint + ultrasonic weld + unique cert. New holder/label since 2023 with strengthened anti-counterfeit features
- Cert lookup : cgccards.com/certlookup
Grading scale
- Scale : 1 → 10 with half-grades (10, 9.5, 9, 8.5, …)
- Pristine 10 : Flawless under 5× magnification, perfect corners, perfect centering, intact gloss
- Gem Mint 10 : Overall 10 but one criterion slightly below Pristine (typically centering)
- Sub-grades : 4 criteria (centering, corners, edges, surface), used internally since 2023 to split Pristine vs Gem Mint
- Pristine 10 rarity : ~ 4 % of submissions (community estimate)
- Official reference : cgccards.com/card-grading/grading-scale
Access from France
Since January 2026, Munich is CGC's full-time TCG hub for Europe, the simplest route for French collectors to bypass intermediaries.
| Intermediary | URL | Pricing | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| CGC Munich (direct) | cgccards.com | Official US pricing + international fees | ATA Carnet / temporary-import procedures avoid tariffs when properly filed. |
| EU show drop-offs | - | Variable | Present at Berlin Cardshow and major German conventions. |
Estimated total for 1 Standard card ($55): ~ €70-90 incl. round-trip FR ↔ Munich. In Bulk ($15) batches: ~ €15-20 per card.
Reputation
- Resale multipliers vs PSA: Pristine 10 ~ 0.7-0.9× ; Gem Mint 10 ~ 0.5-0.7× (PSA 10 = baseline 1.0×).
- January 2026: hike +20-35 % across categories ; March 2026, second wave on Bulk/Economy.
- Public population report: cgccards.com/population-report.
- CGC viewed as stricter on Pristine 10 but more lenient on 9 and 9.5 than PSA. CGC → PSA crossovers are common.
- No documented scandal: stable reputation as a serious US alternative.
See also
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