PSA's Grading Pause Has Collectors Buzzing — But There's Good News for Comic and Card Fans
June 11 2026, Updated 2:15 p.m. ET
The collectibles world got a surprise this month when PSA announced it would temporarily pause submissions for several of its popular value-tier grading services after an unprecedented wave of demand pushed its backlog toward 10 million cards.
For many collectors, the news sparked immediate questions: What happens to all those comics, trading cards, Pokémon collectibles, sports memorabilia, and rare finds waiting to be authenticated and graded?
Fortunately, industry insiders say there's no reason to panic.
PSA's decision isn't a sign of trouble. If anything, it's proof that collectibles are hotter than ever. The grading giant is investing heavily in infrastructure and capacity as it works through a historic volume of submissions, underscoring just how massive the hobby has become. Collectors continue to flood the market searching for the next grail card, key comic issue, or rare collectible worth preserving for future generations.
And while PSA tackles its backlog, another major player says it's ready to help shoulder the demand.
The Authority, a rapidly growing collectibles platform, announced this week that it has already imaged and vaulted more than 10 million collectibles less than six months after launch while expanding into categories ranging from trading cards and comics to coins, original artwork, figurines, and memorabilia. The company says collectors can authenticate, grade, encapsulate, and vault collectibles with turnaround times typically under 30 days.
Most notably, CEO Jeff Mullen wants collectors to know one thing:
"We are open for business," Mullen said. "Collectors can enjoy reliable, consistent grading at affordable prices and with dependable turnaround times."
The timing couldn't be better.
With collectors searching for alternatives during PSA's temporary pause, The Authority is positioning itself as part of a new generation of grading and authentication services built around automation, transparency, and scale. The company recently added more than 100 team members and invested heavily in proprietary technology to help manage growing demand.
According to Mullen, the company's ambitions extend far beyond today's milestone.
"Processing tens of millions of collectibles in a year is just table stakes," he said. "The Authority is working hard to expand into imaging and vaulting hundreds of millions of collectibles in a year."
For collectors frustrated by long waits across the industry, that kind of scale could be welcome news.
The company has also attracted attention for introducing what it calls the industry's first public grading standard, an effort aimed at giving collectors more visibility into exactly how grades are determined. At launch, Mullen described the initiative as part of a broader effort to bring greater consistency and transparency to the hobby.
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"The golden age of collectibles is happening right now," Mullen said when The Authority launched. "Collectors now have full visibility into the exact criteria behind each grade."
For now, PSA remains one of the most trusted names in grading and is expected to reopen suspended services once it reduces its backlog. But the temporary pause highlights a larger reality: demand for grading, authentication, and secure storage has never been stronger.
And for collectors wondering what to do with that prized comic book, rookie card, or rare collectible sitting at home, there are now more options than ever before.
