How to Buy Lower Grade Sports Cards That Still Look Great

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The card you’ve been chasing for years finally shows up at auction. It's in a PSA 10, which is nice but may put the card out of your price range. Three days after the auction goes live, other bidders have already driven the price up priced three times higher than you were willing to pay. Suddenly you're not just evaluating the card, you're evaluating whether the card, in this grade, is worth it to you.

Grading has become so ingrained in the hobby that many collectors feel an obligation to chase the highest grade. But collecting doesn’t have to mean stretching your budget for a high-grade slab. Great-looking cards exist across every era and at nearly every grade level, you just have to know what to look for, and what matters most to you. In this blog we're going to teach you how to buy lower grade sports cards that still look great.

Why High Grades Command High Prices

There’s no denying it: condition drives value, especially when a card has very few gem-mint copies. A higher grade signals scarcity and quality (Although that may not always be the case), and many collectors are willing to pay up for that combination.

This is especially true with vintage cards, where the price jump between low and high grades can be a four to six figure difference in price.

There's only 26 PSA 10 copies of the 1980 Topps Rickey Henderson. The grade scarcity here has lead to a 66x premium over the PSA 9

We’re not just talking about cards from the '50s either. You can find countless examples of grade-based premiums across eras and sports. And while ultra modern cards have higher gem mint rates overall, high-pop PSA 10s still to outsell their 9s and raw counterparts by a considerable margin.

Or a more modern example - A copy of Lebron's 2003 Ultimate Collection Autograph in a PSA 10 is 2.4x more expensive than a PSA 9 copy even with a print run of 250 copies

The Grading Reality—Especially for Ultra Modern

If you collect modern cards, you know the drill: most pack-fresh cards fall between an 8 and a 10. A lot of raw cards are probably closer to a 9 than most people realize.

But that tiny jump from 9 to 10 can often mean a 50-1,000%+ premium—not necessarily because the card looks dramatically better, but because of how it fits into pop report psychology.

For example, take the 2024 Prizm Jayden Daniels Red/White/Blue Prizm. On the same day, you had two PSA 9 copies sell for $58 and $60 while a PSA 10 copy sold for $300. That's almost a 5x premium despite there being 226 PSA 10s and 755 PSA 9s (Only 3x as many 9s as 10s).

So yes, grading still creates a manufactured sense of rarity that the market values, even when the noticeable differences are minor.

That can work for investors and collectors looking to capitalize through buy, grade, flip schemes. Side note, if you aren't sure what to collect, I suggest reading our "What Sports Cards Should You Collect" to figure out your intentions for collecting and the "11 Sports Card Pairing Ideas for Your Collection" for inspiration.

But what if you’re a collector who just wants a great-looking card… and doesn't want to pay into the grade premium? That's what we're going to explore.

Vintage: Eye Appeal Over Everything

Let's start with vintage.

When it comes to vintage, lower-grade slabs with strong visual appeal are your best friend. A well-centered PSA 2 with strong registration is satisfying to own and display than a faded PSA 5 that looks like it's been beat to hell.

Experienced vintage collectors also opt for raw cards and skip grading altogether. But graded vintage can help new comers to vintage feel better about the authenticity of their card (Although authenticity is still not guaranteed).

This is where being honest about what you value most really pays off. When you buy a vintage card are you looking for:

• Crisp registration?

• Strong centering?

• No wrinkles or stains?

If you’re okay with a little back damage or soft corners, you can save big.

Two cards with very similar eye appeal. $18.7k price difference based on grade premium.

90s Inserts: Scarcity With Flaws You Can Stomach

The 90s brought serial-numbered cards, low print runs, and a new kind of scarcity. But manufacturing at the time wasn’t always kind to condition-sensitive designs.

That’s good news for collectors.

You can often find raw or lower-grade copies of 90s inserts that look fantastic—because the flaws that dropped them to a 7 or 8 don’t actually show unless you’re looking under magnification.

Common issues to look out for (and decide whether you can live with):

• Minor edge chipping

• Foil flaking

• Slight corner wear

If you’re not submitting to a grading company or reselling anytime soon, ask yourself: Would this card still make me smile in a top loader or magnetic case?

If the answer is yes, you can save yourself hundreds.

Ultra Modern: Do You Even Need It Graded?

For ultra modern cards, the decision often comes down to intent. Are you trying to flip? Be ready to consign in the future ? Or just add a nice looking copy to your collection?

Grading helps with liquidity and standardizes value—especially if you're selling through platforms like Goldin, Fanatics, or consignment services that require slabs.

But if you're not planning to sell anytime soon, and you can evaluate condition well yourself, you may not need a label at all.

Just know what your dealbreakers are:

• Print lines

• Off-centering

• Surface scratches or dings

  

  A PSA 6 on an ultra modern card might mean there's a crease, dimple, or surface scratch. But if you can live with the flaw in the card, you're saving hundreds, if not thousands on the card

Buying raw or settling for a low grade copy instead of a 10 can dramatically lower your entry point—without lowering your satisfaction.

Collector Value vs. Investment Value

There’s a quiet shift happening in the hobby right now: more collectors are beginning to differentiate between cards they love owning and cards they think they should own.

• Collector Value: A card that fits your aesthetic, your story, and your collection goals, even if it’s a PSA 4.

• Investment Value: A card that checks all the boxes on paper—grade, rarity, upside, but might not mean much to you emotionally.

Both approaches are valid. But one is built to last.

You don’t need to chase a PSA 10 just because others are. You need cards that make your collection yours.

Closing Thoughts: Rethink the “Perfect” Card

A great card doesn’t need a perfect grade.

And chasing the best-looking version you can afford—not the highest-graded—can unlock doors you thought were closed and a collection you never thought you could own.

So the next time you see your dream card at auction, ask yourself: Would I still love this in a PSA 6? If the answer is yes, you might just become a smarter collector.