Common Concerns

TFG grades autographed cards, provided we can authenticate the autograph during our research process. If we cannot authenticate the signature, and you cannot provide proof of authenticity, TFG will contact you to inform you of this outcome.

Please note: We may not be able to issue refunds for non-authentic cards or autographs.

TFG does not grade cards that have been altered by someone other than the manufacturer to create the illusion that the card is a rarer version.

Examples of this include changing border colours, set symbols, or deliberately cutting the card to simulate a miscut.

Please note: We may not be able to issue refunds for cards that have been deliberately altered.

Yes, TFG grades error cards that have printing errors. There is no additional fee for grading error cards. TFG recognises the following errors:

• Miscuts (MC) - When a card displays a distinct cut error. This could be a card displaying a portion of another card, or a cut showing a distinct difference from the standard.
• Off Centre (OC) - Cards that show poor centering (score of 5 or below) but maintain quality in other areas (grade average of 5 or above across corners, edges, and surface).
• Error - Cards that display a common error. For this status to be awarded, you must include details of the error in your submission form. TFG will not award error designations not initially detailed by the customer.

No, TFG will not grade non-factory cut cards.

Yes, TFG will grade square cut Pokémon cards.

Unfortunately, TFG does not currently grade boosters, sealed packs, or any other sealed products.

Yes, TFG does accept metal cards. Please note that there is a possibility for metal cards to be damaged during the encapsulation process, and TFG is not liable if this occurs.

TFG grades all thicker trading card sizes. Please note that encapsulation for these products is done via a third party, but rest assured that your cards will still be covered by our insurance.

Yes, TFG grades these types of cards.

Yes, TFG currently accepts cards from other grading companies.

Please note that TFG will re-grade the card anonymously, and our grading team will have no prior knowledge of the previous grade.

Therefore, please be aware that the card will be graded against TFG's own grading scale with no consideration of the previous grading company's determination.

TFG currently does not offer a minimum grade option for any of our service levels. The grade we determine will always be present on the card, regardless of the grade received.

Yes, each grading company has its own unique grading standards, so overall grades may vary from company to company and card to card.

Yes, TFG images all graded cards after encapsulation. These images are available to view in our Inventory.

Grading reports can be easily found by scanning the QR code on the back of your TFG graded card.

If there is an issue with your TFG inventory image, please fill out a request on our Contact page.
Image errors can include a miscropped image, a wrong image displayed for the certification number, no image for the certification number, or an image captured with an external obstruction.

After you submit your report, a TFG representative will review your request and contact you with their findings.

If you're unsure what your result means, please review the TFG Grading Standards.

TFG uses recognised universal grading standards with our 10-point scale for trading card collectors.

When reviewing your order, we evaluate surface condition, edge integrity, and centering. Damage such as folds, creases, or stains impacts the grade.

Grading is three-dimensional - defects that are invisible when viewed straight-on may appear when the card is tilted under light.

Two independent graders evaluate each card and must agree before completion. Final grades remain at our expert graders' discretion.

TFG will correct any mislabelled item(s) free of charge.
If you find that your card has been mislabelled, please reach out to our customer care team, and we'll provide you with a return label to send the card back for correction.

Yes, but only if you follow these rules:

If your cards need different service levels (Economy, Standard, Express, or Report):

• Put each service level in its own separate box
• Pack all the individual boxes together in one larger shipping box
• Make sure each box is clearly labelled with:
  • Your order reference number
  • The service level for that box

This way, we can process each service level correctly without mixing up your cards

TFG accepts cards still sealed in their cello packs; however, we will open them as we do not grade sealed cards.
TFG holds no liability for cards that may be damaged during opening. We therefore suggest opening your sealed cards before sending them in with your submission.

To change card details, you can edit your order in My Account. At this time, you cannot add cards to your submission.
Please note that it is not possible to alter your submission once you have shipped it.

If you wish to change or cancel your order, please reach out to our team.
Please note that we may not be able to issue refunds or change an order once it has been delivered, as per the terms and conditions at sale.

At TFG, we photograph and publicise graded cards on our social media profiles. Please include your social media handles so we can tag you in our posts!
If you prefer your graded cards not to be featured on our social media, simply contact us with your order reference number.

TFG processes credit card payments during the submission process.

TFG accepts different forms of payment, including PayPal's Pay in 3/Buy Now Pay Later plans, Klarna, and Afterpay, which can now be used for submission invoices.

You should not send your cards until your payment has cleared. Our systems will notify you when your payment has cleared, and you are ready to send your cards.
If we do receive your cards before payment has processed, we will be unable to process your cards until full payment has been received.

If you are unable to pay whilst the cards are in our possession, we may charge return shipping fees and hold your cards until these fees have been paid.

Before you try to add a discount code to your submission, please make sure that your submission matches the criteria for that specific promotion. You can confirm the criteria by checking the email you received or the post you saw with the code.
If everything matches up, and you are still experiencing difficulties, please contact us.

Desktop and Mobile Browser

To add your discount code, you will need to complete the submission form until the Overview step of the process.
On this page, you have the option of entering a discount code.
Please add your discount code there for it to apply to your submission.

Every package is sent with a combination of cardboard and foam for protection of your precious cards. When needed, we will use additional protective measures such as biodegradable packing pellets. Packages are non-branded to deter any unwanted attention.

For liability reasons, TFG does not currently issue shipping labels to the customer. It is your responsibility to pay for shipping your cards to us.

At this current time, TFG doesn't provide shipping labels.

TFG recommends that you ship your submissions once your payment has cleared, and you have filled in the card input form.

From the moment your cards arrive at TFG until the moment you receive them back, they are covered by our bespoke insurance.
However, customers are responsible for insuring their package when sending to us. TFG holds no liability for the condition of the parcel, damage while in the carrier's possession, or potential loss of items while in transit to TFG.

Please send your cards to us using a tracked Royal Mail service. Alternative couriers may be unable to deliver to our address. Please email us for more help and information.

At this current time, you cannot drop off or collect your submission in person. The only exception to this is when you create an order with us at a card show.

Yes, for information about which shows we are attending, check out our social media. When submitting at a show, please be sure to fill out a submission form and verify the cards submitted with that submission form.
TFG will not be responsible for orders/cards that are lost, damaged, etc., once they leave the TFG booth, so please verify your order before you walk away from the booth or from the TFG employee.

TFG operates different turnaround times based on the selected service level.
Turnaround time starts from the first full business day and ends when the invoice is sent.
Turnaround times reflect the estimated average time to complete a submission received today under a given service tier.
Individual submission times may vary based on factors such as form completion, packaging quality, and research requirements.

For current turnaround times, visit our Grading Services page.

• 2 Business Day Example: Arrives 01/09/2025 → Completed 03/09/2025
• 10 Business Day Example: Arrives 01/09/2025 → Completed 15/09/2025
• Note: The arrival day doesn't count toward turnaround time unless received before the business day starts.
  

If a submission arrives on Saturday, turnaround starts the next working day (usually Monday, excluding bank holidays).

10 Working Day Example:

• Arrives: Saturday 30/08/2025
• Turnaround Starts: Monday 01/09/2025
• Expected Return: Monday 15/09/2025

TFG scans submissions on arrival date when possible, even outside operational days.
If your submission isn't scanned as arrived, wait until the next working day before contacting us.

Submissions may progress on weekends, bank holidays, or outside operational hours when our team works additional hours.
However, weekend progress doesn't count toward the working day turnaround calculation.

You can track your submission status through multiple channels:

1. Email Updates—You'll receive email notifications at key stages:
• After TFG has recieved payment.
• When your cards arrive at TFG.
• When your cards enter research and analysis.
• When your cards enter grading.
• When your cards are being encapsulated.
• When your cards enter quality control checks.
• When TFG ships your cards back to you
2. Online Tracking—Check your submission status anytime by logging into your account.

Rest assured, if your tracking shows "Delivered" (or if you submitted at an event), your cards are safe and in a queue.

Once your parcel is ready for return shipment, TFG will email you with all of your tracking information so you can follow the progress of your delivery.

The tracking number is included in your status update email from us, and customers should also receive an email from Royal Mail which includes tracking details.

You can always check the status of your order in your account. The Customer Care team has access to the same status. For your convenience, you also have an estimated completion date.
Please note:the completion date is only an estimation and not guaranteed. These times are based on, and may be impacted by, TFG's submission volume, capacity, and other unforeseen circumstances.
Turnaround Times may change rapidly without notice as conditions change.

Order Status Definitions:

• Draft: This means that you have set up an order but haven't yet submitted it.
• Pending Payment: Your order has been submitted, but we are waiting for payment to clear.
• Payment Unsuccessful: Your payment has been unsuccessful. Please try again.
• Awaiting Customer Shipping: We are awaiting you to ship your cards.
• Customer Shipped: Your cards have been shipped to us. When you have marked your cards as shipped, you have the opportunity to insert a tracking number for us to track your shipment.
• Cards Arrived: This will be noted with a date once TFG logs your order ID that you affixed to the outside of your package. This is before the package is unboxed and entered into the system. If you forgot this, or it was obscured by the couriers' labels, you may not get this scan, and that's okay!
• Research and Authentication: Your submission is being reviewed for labelling accuracy, and our team is assigning each card a unique serial number.
• Cards in Grading: Now that your items have been identified, the graders can do their job. Your submission is in the queue to be graded at this stage.
• Encapsulation: If your cards were found to be authentic, they will be encapsulated in our tamper-proof case at this stage, with their label indicating the grade and subgrades you have received. Keep in mind that all orders, whether found to be authentic or not, go through Assembly for processing purposes. Being in Assembly does not guarantee that the card passed authentication or received a numerical grade.
• Quality Control Checks: This is the final stage, during which an additional grader verifies grades and examines the encapsulation for defects, mislabels, or imperfections.
• Awaiting Return Shipping: Your cards are in a queue to be packaged ready for return shipping.
• Cards Shipped: Your order has completed all steps at TFG and is on its way to you!
• Cards Arrived at Customer: Your cards have arrived! You can mark this as complete when you receive your cards back.
• Order Finalised: Your submission has been finalised, and you will receive your invoice in due course.
• On Hold: Your order has been placed on hold. A member of the team will contact you shortly.
• Awaiting Customer Response: We are waiting for you to respond to a query. Did you know, you can respond to team queries in the order section of your account?
• Customer Response Received: We have received your response and are processing it.
• Awaiting Refund: Your refund is being processed.
• Cancelled: Your order has been cancelled.

Submissions to TFG from customers located outside the UK may be subject to import duties upon arrival in the UK. Customers are responsible for all costs, including any import duties, incurred when shipping to TFG in the UK.

TFG does not take responsibility of submissions until they have been successfully delivered to our office.

We would heavily advise you to contact the courier who is responsible for delivery of your submission and request an update if you have any concerns about safe delivery.

We would advise adding your tracking number to your submission via your account so our customer support team can also track your shipment.

We're very sorry to hear that your order arrived damaged. Please contact us and submit images of your package so that we can support you further.
This will ensure you receive a timely response and get the answers you need directly from the source.

We're sorry to hear you are experiencing issues with your delivery. Our dedicated team will help you with this enquiry from start to finish.

Please contact us, and a member of our team will respond by the following business day.
They will file a trace on the package and be with you every step of the way.

We're sorry to hear that you haven't received your delivery. Our dedicated team will help you with this inquiry from start to finish.

Please contact us, and a member of our team will respond by the following business day.
They will file any necessary trace or claim and be with you every step of the way.

You can change your address by reaching out to our team.

If there is an outstanding balance on your submission and no pending payments, you will see a button on your order overview screen in My Account.

If you experience any issues with the order portal, please contact our team for additional assistance.

Once the item is removed from the slab, or the slab shows signs of tampering, there is no way of validating that the item was previously graded by TFG, so the grade of the item becomes null and void.