Unboxing: Gem Mint Grading (GMG) Submission Reveal (VIDEO)
Editor’s Note: We have a comparison guide to the major trading card grading companies, including Gem Mint Grading GMG, available to read by clicking right here.
Earlier this summer, we sent in ten cards to Gem Mint Grading, one of the newer card grading companies in the hobby. We just got them back, and recorded the unboxing, so we can give you our thoughts.
Before going over the cards and how they graded (they can be seen in the video below), we want to go over the submission process.
Placing an Order
GMG offers an online form to list your cards, select a grading service and turnaround time, and submit your credit card information. It’s all pretty convenient and easy to complete, and once done, you are provided an address to send your cards to.
However, you don’t create an account when you place an order, and there’s no online tracking of your cards once they arrive there. Unlike some services, that allow for online tracking, you won’t be able to log in and see the progress of your order. If you choose the longer service like I did (75 days), then it can be frustrating. You could call in and get an update, but an online tracking option would be much easier.
The website itself is pretty basic, and is in all black with white lettering. It makes it a little hard to read, and it lacks the slick professionalism of some other grading company websites. They have some good information on grading and videos on their grading process, however, which is helpful.
We received our order in about 65 days, sooner than we expected. It arrived by Priority Mail.
Slabs
I found the slabs to be of good quality, but a bit thin like many of the other grading companies today, and not as thick as Beckett’s slabs. However, they seem pretty durable, unlike some slabs we’ve seen from other companies that could be broken open without much force.
Labels
GMG offers two kinds of labels: one for vintage cards, another for modern. Both include subgrades printed on the label, which is a feature that puts them ahead of PSA. They color-coordinate the label to the card, which is great and makes both labels look fantastic when paired with the card. The vintage label has a nice, clean look, but I find the modern label a bit too busy. I don’t hate it, but I prefer to have my labels easier to read.
Population Report
Unfortunately, there isn’t a population report for GMG cards, although I was told by GMG staff that it is in the works. That will go a long way into giving them more legitimacy in the marketplace, so I hope it happens soon.
Value
It’s hard to deny that GMG has some of the best rates in the grading business, and slick looking labels. The grading process seems strict but fair, but even so, their graded cards won’t sell in the same range as PSA cards, so using them for investment purposes isn’t practical yet.
Click here to visit the Gem Mint Grading website and place an order.
Our Cards
Here are the cards that we sent in, and how they graded.
1960 Topps #100 Nellie Fox – Graded a 4.5 VG-EX+. This was expected, as the corners and centering had issues. As a fan of Hall of Famers like Nellie, however, we loved seeing this slabbed.
1977 Topps Star Wars #57 Mark Hamill – Graded a 6.5 Ex-NM+. Soft corners brought the grade down.
1977 Topps Star Wars #207 C-3PO (Anthony Daniels) – Graded 6 EX-NM. An off-centered card held this card back, a corrected version of the infamous “obscene” card.
1980 Topps The Empire Strikes Back #11 Boba Fett – Graded an 8 NM-MT. Bad corners held this iconic card from scoring higher.
1998 Topps Basketball #154 Dirk Nowitzki – Graded a 9 Mint. The base rookie for the legendary basketball player
2003 Upper Deck Magazine UD8 Michael Jordan – Graded a 9 Mint. The perforated corners kept the score down, but it’s a fantastic card.
2016 Panini Rookies & Stars Football #179 Dak Prescott – Graded a 8.5 NM-MT+. A soft corner doomed this card from scoring higher.
2018 Donruss Basketball #198 Trae Young – Graded a 9.5 Mint+. The color match label looks great, but the label misspelled Trae as Trea (like the baseball player). GMG offered to fix the label for me and reslab it at no charge.
2019 Topps Update US1 Vladimir Guerrero Jr. – Graded 9 Mint. Slight wear to a corner and edges kept this a 10.
2022 Topps Living Set #495 Wander Franco – Graded a 10 Gem Mint. A great card from a promising young star.
Here’s our unboxing video.
