PlayStation Software Grading

Grading

Upon receipt of your item we will conduct a full professional grading of your item. When handling your items, we wear protective clothing and gloves and conduct work in a sanitary area to unconditionally preserve the integrity of your items.

Depending on what you are getting graded, this process can differ. To outline what is look at from a general perspective, we first gather the following information:

• Sealed/Unsealed?
• Is the item complete?
• What components are missing?

Once we have an understanding of where the grading will being, we will delve deeper.

For Sealed Items:

• Did VGGA remove the item from the factory shipping container?
• Does the seal have official markings on it?
• Is there any damage to the wrapper or item itself?

The above would result in items being rated from 95 – 100.

For Complete Items:

• All components that would have originally come with the item are included for grading.
• All components are then individually graded. For an example of a PlayStation 1 software title; Front Slip Grade, Manual Grade, Disc Grade & Container (or case) Grade.
• Each individual component is ranked from 1 – 10, and the collection of these scores determines the overall grade.
• As an example; In the case of all components being in “as brand new” condition, with no damage to note, a grade of 94 would be awarded. 94 being the highest possible grade for an unsealed item.
• At the other end of the scale we may have (sticking with the PlayStation 1 example) Front artwork is torn, manual has pages stuck together, ripped and missing, disc is heavily scratched (to be awarded this low would be unreadable in a console) and Jewel case is severely damaged. This would receive our lowest possible “complete” grading of 50.

The above would result in items being rated from 50 – 94

For Incomplete Items:

• How many components are missing?
• What is the condition of the presented components?
• Each individual component is ranked from 1 – 10, and the collection of these scores determines the overall grade. Any components that are missing will automatically present a score of 0.
• As an example (Using PlayStation 1 software); In the case of all presented components being in “as brand new” condition, with no damage to note, but is missing it’s manual, a grade of 49 would be awarded. 49 being the highest possible grade for an incomplete item. There is no bearing on what component is missing. From a collectors and Valuers point of view, each is as important as the other, with the exception of the game software itself.
• At the other end of the scale we may have (sticking with the PlayStation 1 example) Front artwork is torn, manual has pages stuck together, ripped and missing, disc is heavily scratched (to be awarded this low would be unreadable in a console) and Jewel case is not the original case that came with the game. This would receive our lowest possible “incomplete” grading of 20.

The above would result in items being rated from 20-49

For Loose Items:

• The term loose means just the game software disc or cartridge. Any other components that are sent for grading (2 or more components) would be treated as an incomplete item.
• We determine a grade based on the physical, cosmetic and working condition of the item.
• A loose item in perfect condition is awarded a 19, while a heavily damaged item that no longer works is graded as a 1.

 

Appraisal

Once we have found the grade to your item we can then determine that current market value. It is important to note that the video game collectors market can vary quite dramatically. For example, the COVID-19 pandemic has seen a rise in video game prices. With a more specific example also noted during this pandemic, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater Remake was released. This saw the price for Tony Hawk titles jump on all systems and on most if not all titles by 100% or more. Other remakes have seen prices go up for the original titles (Resident Evil 2/3, Final Fantasy VII) and then others go down with the example of Crash Bandicoot/Spyro original PS1 titles.

From an investment point of view, this makes future planning quite difficult. Rest assured, the overall trend is up. It’s just like shares. If everyone sold at the peak of the market, there would be no peak.

Our appraisals are based on your currency and in your geographical location. The price of items can vary dramatically, even in the digitally connected world we live in. We will always provide the best possible location for your sale also. For example, some items are best at a professional auction house, some are better sold online via eBay and similar.

It is crucial to note that we provide 3 prices to you, an ungraded price, a graded price and an average of the above. This will give you a good indication of what your item is worth in a graded and encapsulated condition.

For example; we may grade a new limited edition console as 99 grade, with an appraisal of $500USD. The item may in fact be able to be sold for 50-100% more than our appraisal amount, as it has been graded, appraised and encapsulated. As you are aware, our service is for a reason and costs money. Not only do you have a limited edition console that is now sold out, you also have had it professionally graded, appraised and encapsulated to protect the item for many, many years to come. So long as the seals are not broken on the locker boxes we provide, any potential buyers of your item know the exact story behind the item.

Encapsulation

Our encapsulation process sees your items placed into purpose manufactured locker box for safe keeping for many, many years to come.

The locker box itself is made from polycarbonate-ABS, offering the most desirable properties of both materials. The superior strength and heat resistance of PC with the durability of ABS, meaning your items are in the safest possible place. All cases used by VGGA are printed with our logo on them and can be easily identified. All cases produced for VGGA are CE Certified.

Once your item is inserted into the locker box, it is then sealed and stickered with a tamper evident sticker. These stickers cannot be removed or reused. Your sticker will also contain the serial number unique to your item, grading result and QR code for quick online reference.

Item Verification

We film the grading portion of your item and upload this online. This will be online forever and can be easily accessed at any time for future reference. In this video, we will thoroughly show the item and explain the reasoning for our grading. Each item will be stickered with a irremovable sticker that has a unique code to access the grading in the future.

Completion

Upon Grading, Appraising and Sealing your item we will safely pack it in preparation for return shipping to you. Your item return shipping is paid for as part of your order and when you receive it you will expect to find:

• Your Item, Sealed in our Custom Made Lock Box
• A hand-signed certificate of grading and appraisal from our founder
• The link to your item verification
• A thank you letter and other promotional material