Automated Grading Systems
AGS
An interesting robot-graded experiment that collectors largely treat as a pre-screening tool, not a slab to sell in.
Our score36/100TierDNo. 12 on the scorecards
Resale standingRaw valueOn a high-value card, expect a buyer to cut it out and regrade it.
Cheapest way in$15Standard Bulk (TCG), 30-card minimum, cards up to $100
Typical turnaround20 daysReader reports →
BacklogNone published
Cert lookupPublicVerify a cert →
Owned byIndependentFounded 2021
The short version
2 min to read it all, belowWhy it scores 36
The full breakdownWhere the slab sells
- eBay Authenticity GuaranteeSearchable, not covered
- Major US auction housesNot standard inventory
- Public cert lookupYes
What to watch
The automation invites comparison with TAG, but AGS has not built comparable credibility, and hobby sentiment frames it as a pre-screening step rather than a certifier.
All known concernsPricing
Official price listBuilt for volume, but no longer volume-only. Under 30 cards, Standard is $18 for TCG and $21 for sports and other non-TCG cards at 20 business days, Economy $24 and $27 at 10, and Premier $34 and $37 at 5.
| Tier | Price | Minimum | Card value up to | Quoted turnaround | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard Bulk (TCG) | $15per card | 30 cards | $100 | 20 business days | Insured up to the value shown |
| Standard Bulk (sports and non-TCG) | $18per card | 30 cards | $100 | 20 business days | Insured up to the value shown |
| Economy Bulk (TCG) | $20per card | 30 cards | $200 | 10 business days | Insured up to the value shown |
| Economy Bulk (sports and non-TCG) | $23per card | 30 cards | $200 | 10 business days | Insured up to the value shown |
| Premier Bulk (TCG) | $30per card | 30 cards | $500 | 5 business days | Insured up to the value shown |
| Premier Bulk (sports and non-TCG) | $33per card | 30 cards | $500 | 5 business days | Insured up to the value shown |
| Standard (TCG) | $18per card | — | — | 20 business days | Insured up to $100; under 30 cards (30+ is the Bulk tier) |
| Standard (sports and non-TCG) | $21per card | — | — | 20 business days | Insured up to $100; under 30 cards (30+ is the Bulk tier) |
| Economy (TCG) | $24per card | — | — | 10 business days | Insured up to $200; under 30 cards (30+ is the Bulk tier) |
| Economy (sports and non-TCG) | $27per card | — | — | 10 business days | Insured up to $200; under 30 cards (30+ is the Bulk tier) |
| Premier (TCG) | $34per card | — | — | 5 business days | Insured up to $500; under 30 cards (30+ is the Bulk tier) |
| Premier (sports and non-TCG) | $37per card | — | — | 5 business days | Insured up to $500; under 30 cards (30+ is the Bulk tier) |
| Express (TCG) | $50per card | — | — | 2–3 business days | Insured up to $1,000 |
| Express (sports and non-TCG) | $53per card | — | — | 2–3 business days | Insured up to $1,000 |
| Priority (TCG) | $75per card | — | — | 1 business day | Insured up to $2,000 |
| Priority (sports and non-TCG) | $78per card | — | — | 1 business day | Insured up to $2,000 |
| Super Express (TCG) | $100per card | — | — | Same day | Insured up to $5,000 |
| Super Express (sports and non-TCG) | $103per card | — | — | Same day | Insured up to $5,000 |
| Prestige (TCG) | $200per card | — | — | Same day | Insured up to $10,000 |
| Prestige (sports and non-TCG) | $203per card | — | — | Same day | Insured up to $10,000 |
Prices as checked on 20 Oct 2026. They change often; the grader's own list is the final word.
At 30 cards or more the same tiers drop to $15 and $18, $20 and $23, and $30 and $33, so the bulk discount is $3 a card. Above those, four speed tiers run from Express at $50 (2 to 3 business days) through Priority at $75 (next day) and Super Express at $100 (same day) to Prestige at $200 (same day), each $3 more for sports. Insurance scales with the tier rather than the card — $100 on Standard, $200 on Economy, $500 on Premier, up to $10,000 on Prestige — so check it before sending anything valuable through the bottom tier.
The full file
What sets them apart
Fully automated grading — no human grader assigns the number. Cards are scanned by AG-1000 and AG-1500 laser units capturing roughly 28 million pixels per card and 3D surface height, returning a digital report with a public population feed and tier-banded insurance.
In December it passed Beckett on TCG volume.
Where the slab sells
That usage pattern caps its acceptance: a slab the market treats as a step toward grading rather than the grading itself does not hold independent value.
eBay
Listed in eBay's professional grader filter, so AGS slabs are searchable, but AGS is not covered by the Authenticity Guarantee and receives no eBay buyer protection.
Auction houses
Not standard inventory at Goldin, Heritage or PWCC.
Card shops and general resale
Recognized more as a pre-screening tool than a final certifier, with collectors commonly using an AGS read before submitting the card to a major grader.
Turnaround
5 days on Premier
Price history
AGS has not raised a listed price since Oct 2026.
Show the price history: 20 tiers, 0 changes
These come from our own records. Small ticks are sightings where the price held. A line ends where the evidence ends.
Standard Bulk (TCG)$15 unchanged since 26 Oct 2026
Standard Bulk (sports and non-TCG)$18 unchanged since 26 Oct 2026
Standard (TCG)$18 unchanged since 26 Oct 2026
Economy Bulk (TCG)$20 unchanged since 26 Oct 2026
Standard (sports and non-TCG)$21 unchanged since 26 Oct 2026
Economy Bulk (sports and non-TCG)$23 unchanged since 26 Oct 2026
Economy (TCG)$24 unchanged since 26 Oct 2026
Economy (sports and non-TCG)$27 unchanged since 26 Oct 2026
Premier Bulk (TCG)$30 unchanged since 26 Oct 2026
Premier Bulk (sports and non-TCG)$33 unchanged since 26 Oct 2026
Premier (TCG)$34 unchanged since 26 Oct 2026
Premier (sports and non-TCG)$37 unchanged since 26 Oct 2026
Express (TCG)$50 unchanged since 26 Oct 2026
Express (sports and non-TCG)$53 unchanged since 26 Oct 2026
Priority (TCG)$75 unchanged since 26 Oct 2026
Priority (sports and non-TCG)$78 unchanged since 26 Oct 2026
Super Express (TCG)$100 unchanged since 26 Oct 2026
Super Express (sports and non-TCG)$103 unchanged since 26 Oct 2026
Prestige (TCG)$200 unchanged since 26 Oct 2026
Prestige (sports and non-TCG)$203 unchanged since 26 Oct 2026
Every change
| Date | Tier | Change | Source |
|---|
An archived page shows the price on the day it was saved, so a change happened somewhere between that page and the one before it.
The slab and the label
Subgrades: Eight, online only
A purple-tinted machine-sealed holder, visually distinctive on a shelf but conventional in construction.
Example slab shown for reference, not a card the editor owns.
The front carries only the grade and cert number; the QR sits on the back beside the robot mark. The eight subgrades, four per side, live in the online scan report rather than in print — so the label alone tells you less than the report behind it.
What they grade
- Sports Cards
- TCG
- Autographs
- Tickets
- Specialty Formats
Who it's for
- Personal Collection
- Protection & Preservation
- Authentication
- Condition Documentation
- Insurance
Documentation and pre-screening. An AGS read is a cheap, repeatable measurement of a card's condition before you commit to a major grader's fee.
Known concerns
The automation invites comparison with TAG, but AGS has not built comparable credibility, and hobby sentiment frames it as a pre-screening step rather than a certifier.
A slab collectors treat as provisional does not hold resale value. Bulk minimums also mean a small submission carries a 20% per-card penalty.
History
Automated Grading Systems began in 2021, also operating under the Robograding brand, built on a proposition similar to TAG's: remove human subjectivity by grading with cameras and automation rather than eyes.
The technology story drew attention, but market reception has been more mixed than TAG's. Many collectors treat it as a way to pre-screen cards before submitting them to a major grader, rather than as a final certifier.
Score breakdown
Five parts, each scored 0 to 100 and weighted. Market acceptance carries 60 of the 100, because the point of a slab is what the market pays for it.
Market acceptance 18 / 100 (weight 60). The other four parts together 64 / 100 (weight 40).
Market acceptance
18 / 100weight 60adds 10.8
Unverified, scored as zero: Recognised in a major non-US market.
Trust and verifiability
70 / 100weight 15adds 10.5
Unverified, scored as zero: Public population report.
Holder and label
50 / 100weight 10adds 5.0
Unverified, scored as zero: Standard footprint that fits hobby cases.
Turnaround and access
80 / 100weight 5adds 4.0
Pricing
60 / 100weight 10adds 6.0
Unverified, scored as zero: No price rise over 25% in the last 12 months.
Weighted total 36.3, shown as 36 out of 100.
Scored on 5 Oct 2026. 4 inputs could not be verified and score zero. How we score
On the Wire
All 1 AGS storyReader reports
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