PCG vs Beckett (BGS) for Pokémon Cards: Which Suits SA?

By Mitchell Taljaard · 21 Sept 2026 · Updated 19 Oct 2026

Beckett, whose slabs carry the BGS name, is a grader long known for subgrades. Its labels show scores for centering, corners, edges and surface, and its Black Label marks a perfect 10.

We're Cuppas Cards, a PCG submission service for South African Pokémon collectors. We don't grade cards ourselves: PCG assigns every grade. So we have a side in this. Below, we've used each grader's own published figures, plus the turnaround PCG has promised our batches, all checked on 19 October 2026.

PCG vs Beckett at a glance

Dollar figures are converted at R16.46 to the dollar (Trading Economics, 19 October 2026). PCG's R325 is our quoted rand price for its £15 fee. Beckett's fees, tiers and turnarounds come from its grading page. PCG's come from PCG UK's pricing page.

Which is cheaper from South Africa, PCG or Beckett?

PCG is cheaper, at least while Beckett's cheaper tiers stay sold out. Beckett's open Express tier costs more than double our full PCG price.

PCG through Cuppas Cards costs R495 per card, including the £15 grading fee and the DHL trip to the UK and back. Customs, VAT and insurance are added at checkout, so a card declared at R1,000 comes to R623. Your postage to us and local delivery back are extra.

Beckett's $79.95 Express tier is about R1,316 per card. If the returned slabs face the same estimated 20% duty and 15% VAT we use, that adds about R461, so budget about R1,777 a card. That's our estimate, and it's before shipping your cards to Beckett and back.

Beckett lists cheaper tiers: Base at $14.95 without subgrades or $17.95 with them, and Standard at $34.95. All three showed as sold out on 19 October 2026. If they reopen, Beckett's grading fee could undercut PCG's, but you'd still pay to ship your cards to Beckett and back. Our cost breakdown shows every rand of the PCG route.

Can you send cards to Beckett from South Africa?

Yes. Beckett says in its grading FAQ that it serves international customers, and that shipping and insurance are calculated from the address on your account.

That makes Beckett easier to reach from South Africa than TAG, which only takes direct orders from the US and Canada. You'd still arrange and pay for the courier to Beckett yourself, and pay import charges when the slabs come back.

PCG through Cuppas Cards is set up for South Africa. You order online, pay in rands, and post your cards to us or drop them off at our booth at Cape Town shows.

Which is faster, PCG or Beckett?

On grading time alone, Beckett's Express tier. It quotes 15 business days, roughly three weeks, for $79.95 a card. Its sold-out tiers quote 45 business days for Standard and 75 or more for Base, and its Priority tier quotes 5 business days at $124.95. Beckett says its turnaround times are estimates and subject to change.

PCG UK quotes 4 to 6 weeks on its £15 Standard tier for direct submissions (PCG UK pricing). As a PCG partner, our batches are promised about 30 days at PCG. From South Africa, we expect slabs back about 40 days after a batch ships, though our first batch is still out.

So Beckett Express grades faster, at more than double the price. Shipping to the US and back adds its own time on top.

Do PCG and Beckett both print subgrades?

Yes. Both print four subgrades on the slab label: centering, corners, edges and surface.

On Beckett, subgrades come with every tier except the $14.95 Base option, which grades without them (Beckett grading). PCG prints four subgrades on every Standard-tier label. Our guide to PCG grades explains how they work.

How do PCG and Beckett top grades compare?

Both use a 1 to 10 scale with half grades near the top, and both split the top grade.

Beckett's labels are colour-coded. A Black Label marks a perfect Pristine 10, a Gold Label covers other Pristine 10s and Gem Mint 9.5s, and every other grade gets Silver. For a Black Label, Beckett lists 50/50 centering on the front and 55/45 or better on the back. Corners and edges must be virtually flawless under intense scrutiny, and the surface flawless (Beckett grading scale).

PCG splits its 10s into Flawless 10, Pristine 10 and Gem Mint 10. Flawless 10 needs a perfect 10 on all four subgrades. Pristine 10 allows one minor imperfection, and Gem Mint 10 allows minor imperfections in two subgrades (PCG grading standards).

Both call a 9.5 Gem Mint. The difference is at 10: PCG also has a Gem Mint 10, while every Beckett 10 is a Pristine 10.

Do PCG or Beckett slabs sell for more?

We haven't found reliable public sales data comparing PCG and Beckett slabs, so we won't claim either sells for more.

If you're grading a valuable card mainly to sell it, check recent sold prices for that card in Beckett and PCG slabs before you choose. Our PCG vs PSA guide covers the resale question for the best-known grader.

Should you choose PCG or Beckett?

Choose PCG through Cuppas Cards if:

• You want printed subgrades for about R495 a card, not R1,316 or more
• You want one rand price that covers the trip to the grader and back
• You're sending one card or a few, and don't want to arrange courier and customs yourself

Choose Beckett if:

• You have a near-perfect, high-value card and want a shot at a Black Label (our pre-grading checklist helps you check)
• You need it graded in about three weeks and can pay for Express
• You're happy to ship to Beckett yourself and pay the import charges

Comparing other graders too? Read our PCG vs CGC comparison and our PCG vs TAG comparison. For all five graders side by side, see our guide to choosing a card grading company from South Africa.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Beckett the same as BGS?

Yes. BGS stands for Beckett Grading Services, and Beckett's card-grading slabs carry the BGS name.

Does Beckett accept cards from South Africa?

Beckett says it serves international customers, with shipping and insurance calculated from the address on your account. You'd arrange the courier to Beckett yourself.

What is a Beckett Black Label?

It's Beckett's label for a perfect Pristine 10. Beckett's criteria include 50/50 centering on the front and 55/45 or better on the back.

Can Cuppas Cards send my cards to Beckett?

No. We only send cards to PCG in the UK.

Before you send your cards

Read our step-by-step grading guide and our shipping and packing guide. Pack every card in a semi-rigid holder, then add your cards on our submission page. One card per order is fine.

Beckett and PCG figures as published on 19 October 2026.