AI grading

AI Card Grading: How Machine-Vision Grading Works

AI card grading uses machine vision to measure a card instead of judging it by eye alone. At White Whale every card is scanned in high resolution, measured for centering, corners, edges and surface, and given four subgrades and a 1–10 grade, with the scan evidence published in its digital report.

Updated October 22, 2026

How White Whale grades a card

Each card is photographed, logged against your submission and given a unique cert number.
High-resolution 2D/3D capture with multi-angle structured lighting maps the card's centering, corners, edges and surface.
Computer vision measures centering ratios, corner and edge wear, and surface marks such as scratches and print spots.
A locked grading algorithm assigns four subgrades and a 1–10 composite grade on a half-point scale.
Staff can inspect low-confidence results before a grade is certified.
The card is ultrasonically welded into a tamper-evident slab, and its report is published online.

Why measure instead of eyeball

The same measurement framework is applied to every card, so results are consistent no matter who handles your submission.

Because every grade is built from measurements, you can see them. Centering splits, corner close-ups and a surface heatmap are in every report, so you know exactly why a card got its grade.

What every report shows

Four subgrades: centering, corners, edges and surface
A 1–10 composite grade
A digital report with front and back scans, corner close-ups, centering measurements and a surface heatmap
A tamper-evident slab with a unique cert ID
Permanent online cert verification buyers can check without an account

Price and turnaround

Grading is $15 a card for 1–5 cards, $14 for 6–19, $13 for 20–49 and $12 for 50–99, with custom dealer pricing from 100 cards. Turnaround is 14 days from arrival, and you pay only after your cards are graded.

Common questions

What is AI card grading?

AI card grading uses machine vision to measure a card's centering, corners, edges and surface from high-resolution scans, then assigns a grade from those measurements. White Whale publishes the measurements and scans behind every grade.

Is AI card grading consistent?

At White Whale the same locked grading algorithm and measurement framework is applied to every card. Staff can inspect low-confidence results before certification, and the scan evidence is in your report so you can check the grade yourself.

Do people still handle the cards?

Yes. Our team receives, photographs, logs and slabs every card, and staff can review low-confidence results before a grade is certified.

How much does AI card grading cost?

At White Whale, $15 a card for 1–5 cards, $14 for 6–19, $13 for 20–49 and $12 for 50–99, with custom dealer pricing from 100 cards. Four subgrades and the digital report are included on every card.

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