PSA is reportedly preparing to temporarily pause grading services below the Express tier after recent turnaround time increases sparked concern across the hobby.

UPDATE (May 28, 2026, 12:54 p.m. ET): Reporting from The Athletic added further credibility to speculation that PSA could temporarily pause grading services below the Express tier.

Initial speculation began circulating on social media after posts from Boston Card Hunter on X, but reporting from The Athletic later added credibility to the possibility of a temporary pause involving lower-tier submissions.

At this point, PSA has not officially announced any shutdown, suspension, or pause involving lower-tier grading services.

The reports and speculation have exploded across collector communities because they come just weeks after PSA quietly updated turnaround times across nearly every major grading tier.

Boston Card Hunter Claims PSA Could Shut Down Lower-Tier Grading Services

The hobby chatter appears to have originated from multiple posts made by Boston Card Hunter on X.

In one post, the account claimed:

“PSA is shutting everything down under express until further notice.”

The account later followed up by saying:

“Timing TBD but I’ve heard it is imminent and will be for ‘months.’”

Another post added that the changes could involve “everything under express or under regular.”

PSA has not publicly confirmed the claims. Still, the possibility of another PSA submission pause immediately sparked concern among collectors and bulk submitters across social media.

However, because Boston Card Hunter has previously been early on hobby-related developments and PSA discussions, collectors quickly began debating whether another temporary grading freeze could realistically happen.

The Athletic Reports PSA Could Pause Lower-Tier Services

The speculation surrounding PSA grading services escalated further after a report from The Athletic indicated the company is preparing operational changes involving lower-tier submissions.

While full details have not yet been officially announced by PSA, the report aligns with growing hobby concerns surrounding increasing turnaround times, submission backlogs, and PSA’s recent pricing and service adjustments.

The report also adds significant weight to what had previously been viewed primarily as social media speculation among collectors and hobby insiders.

PSA Turnaround Times Recently Increased Across Multiple Tiers

The reports surrounding PSA grading services gained even more attention because the company recently updated estimated turnaround times across multiple submission tiers.

As covered earlier this month, PSA’s current published turnaround estimates now include:

• Value Bulk: 140–160 business days
• Value: 100–120 business days
• Value Plus: 60–80 business days
• Regular: 30–40 business days
• Express: 20–30 business days

Collectors also noticed PSA increased the minimum requirement for Value Bulk submissions from 20 cards to 50 cards.

Those changes led many hobbyists to speculate PSA may be trying to slow lower-end grading submissions while prioritizing higher-tier services.

PSA Has Suspended Services Before

While nothing has been confirmed, collectors immediately pointed to PSA’s previous submission shutdowns during the pandemic-era grading boom.

In 2021, PSA temporarily suspended several lower-cost grading tiers after overwhelming submission demand created massive backlogs throughout the hobby.

Because of that precedent, many collectors believe another temporary pause would not be unprecedented if submission volumes are again becoming difficult to manage.

PSA has also recently paused or adjusted other submission categories in response to operational pressure, including certain international grading services.

PSA Has Not Confirmed Any Changes

As of now, all major PSA grading tiers still appear active on the company’s website, and no official statement has been released confirming the reports.

However, PSA has still not officially announced any formal pause involving lower-tier grading services.

Still, with PSA turnaround times continuing to climb and collector frustration growing around bulk grading delays, the reports and speculation have quickly become one of the biggest discussion points in the hobby this week.

If PSA temporarily pauses lower-tier grading submissions, the move would likely create major ripple effects across the sports card hobby, particularly for bulk submitters, card flippers, breakers, and collectors relying on lower-cost PSA grading services.