Terms and Conditions

​Last Updated: 16th April 2026

​Welcome to Holy Grail Grading™ ("HG Grading", "we", "us", or "our"). By submitting trading cards to us for authentication, grading, and encapsulation, you ("the Customer") agree to be bound by the following Terms and Conditions. Please read them carefully before submitting your order.

​1. General Provisions

​1.1. These Terms and Conditions apply to all services provided by Holy Grail Grading, located at 3rd Floor, 86-90 Paul Street London, EC2A 4NE, United Kingdom.

1.2. By completing a submission form (digitally or physically) and shipping your items to us, you enter into a legally binding contract under these Terms.

​2. The Submission Process & Shipping

​2.1. Customer Responsibility: The Customer is solely responsible for safely packaging and shipping all cards to HG Grading. We strongly recommend using tracked, insured courier services (e.g., Royal Mail Special Delivery).

2.2. Risk of Loss: HG Grading assumes no liability for items lost, stolen, or damaged in transit to our facility. Our liability only begins once the package is physically signed for and logged into our intake system.

2.3. Declared Value: The Customer must accurately declare the raw market value of each submitted item. This Declared Value is used to determine maximum liability and return shipping insurance.

​3. The Grading Process & Subjectivity

​3.1. Subjective Nature of Grading: Trading card grading is an art and a science. While we utilize advanced metrics (including centering analysis and microscopic surface inspection), grading inherently relies on the professional opinion of our experts.

3.2. No Guarantees: HG Grading does not guarantee that a card will receive a specific grade. The grade assigned is final.

3.3. Tampering & Alterations: If we determine a card has been altered, trimmed, recolored, or is counterfeit, it will not be graded or encapsulated. It will be returned to the Customer, and the grading fee will not be refunded, as the authentication process was still performed.

​4. Encapsulation & The Digital Vault

​4.1. Slab Design: HG Grading utilizes ultrasonic welding to seal cards in cast acrylic slabs. Once sealed, slabs are tamper-evident and permanent.

4.2. Digital Assets: HG Grading retains all intellectual property rights to the photographs, microscopic scans, and digital reports generated during the grading process. We reserve the right to use these images (anonymously) for our Digital Vault, marketing, and social media.

​5. Handling & Liability

​5.1. Care of Items: We treat every card with the utmost care, utilizing professional handling procedures.

5.2. Limitation of Liability: In the extremely rare event that a card is lost or damaged while in the possession of HG Grading (after intake and before dispatch), our maximum liability to the Customer shall not exceed the Customer's "Declared Value" of the raw card at the time of submission, or the current raw market replacement value, whichever is strictly lower.

5.3. Slab Flaws: Minor cosmetic flaws in the acrylic plastic (e.g., microscopic dust particles or subtle manufacturer injection marks) do not warrant a free re-holder or refund.

​6. Turnaround Times

​6.1. All turnaround times listed on our website are estimates, calculated in business days (excluding weekends and UK bank holidays).

6.2. Turnaround times begin the day the order is officially logged into our system, not the day it is delivered by the courier. HG Grading is not liable for financial loss due to delayed processing.

​7. Payment & Return Shipping

​7.1. Payment Terms: Full payment for grading services and return shipping is required before any items are dispatched back to the Customer.

7.2. Lien on Goods: HG Grading reserves the right to hold any submitted items as collateral until all outstanding invoices are paid in full. If an invoice remains unpaid for 90 days, we reserve the right to sell the items to recover the costs owed.

7.3. Return Transit: We will return items using a tracked and insured shipping method to the address provided by the Customer. Once the package is handed over to the return courier, the risk of loss passes back to the Customer.

​8. Governing Law

​8.1. These Terms and Conditions shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales. Any disputes arising under these Terms shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.