Beckett Pauses Base and Standard Grading Again, Just 11 Days After Reopening

Another Pause, Another Setback for Budget Grading

Beckett Grading Services paused its Base and Standard card grading submissions again on September 26, 2026, just eleven days after reopening them. In a notice to submitters, the company said the move was made "to help us focus on existing orders and maintain estimated turnaround times."

Beckett added that "service availability will continue to adjust based on our ability to consistently meet estimated turnaround times," language that leaves the door open to further stop-start changes in the weeks ahead.

The Timeline So Far

• August 5, 2026: Beckett suspends Base ($17.95) and Standard ($34.95) grading after submissions rose 102 percent year over year, with trading card game volume alone up 159 percent.
• September 15, 2026: Base and Standard reopen after a six-week pause, while Beckett's main website and app remain offline.
• September 26, 2026: Base and Standard are paused again, just eleven days later.

What Is Left for Collectors

With Base and Standard closed, Express grading at $79.95 per card is now the only meaningfully faster option, more than four times the price of the $17.95 Base tier it replaces, on a 15-business-day turnaround instead of the roughly 75 business days Base previously carried.

Beckett is not alone in feeling the strain. PSA paused its own budget-tier Value service earlier this year, and both TAG and CGC have restricted service levels at points in 2026 as overall grading volume has surged industrywide.

If grading turnaround is making it hard to plan a submission, your local card shop is often the fastest way to find out which services are actually taking cards this week. Find a card shop near you at The Card Shop Finder.