Certified Collectibles Group
Certified Collectibles Group operates NGC, PMG, CGC, CGC Cards, ASG, and JSA to provide third-party authentication, grading, and encapsulation services for coins, paper money, comics, trading cards, stamps, video games, and autographs, serving individual collectors, dealers, and major auction houses globally.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1999
- HeadquartersSarasota, United States
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Certified Collectibles Group does
Certified Collectibles Group (CCG) is a private, multi-brand authentication and grading platform for collectibles, headquartered in Sarasota, Florida. Founded in 1987 with the launch of NGC (Numismatic Guaranty Company) for coin grading, CCG has expanded over nearly four decades to operate divisions spanning coins (NGC, since 1987), paper money (PMG, since 2005), comic books (CGC, since 2000), trading cards (CGC Cards, since 2020, consolidated from CGC Trading Cards and CSG in 2023), stamps (ASG, since 2017), video games (CGC Video Games), home video (CGC Home Video), and, following the March 2024 acquisition of JSA, autograph authentication. CCG is the official grading service of the American Numismatic Association (ANA) and the Professional Numismatists Guild (PNG) for coins and paper money, and operates with eight global offices across the US, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia Pacific, having certified over 110 million collectibles across its divisions.
CCG's core technology is expert human-led authentication and grading, supported by proprietary encapsulation holders (including a patent-pending holder for ASG stamps), grading databases and registries across divisions, and research tools such as population reports and price guides. The Collectors Society membership platform provides recurring access to registries, forums, and submission privileges across all brands. Customer segments span individual collectors (coin, paper money, comic, trading card, and stamp enthusiasts), professional dealers requiring volume turnaround, and enterprise accounts including major auction houses such as Christie's and Heritage Auctions and high-profile collections such as the Jim Irsay Collection.
CCG generates revenue primarily through usage-based per-submission fees for authentication, grading, and encapsulation (for example, CGC Cards grading starts at $17 per card with a 30-day turnaround, positioned against PSA's $24.99 per card at 45 days), supplemented by annual Collectors Society membership subscriptions, add-on services such as NCS conservation and CGC Signature Series, and ancillary supply partnerships (e.g., Whitman Publishing). Since 2021, CCG has been majority-owned by Blackstone at a $500 million enterprise value, with additional strategic investment from Fanatics founder Michael Rubin and Roc Nation. The company distributes through direct online submission, official submission centers, authorized dealers, auction house partnerships, and on-site grading at trade shows.
Certified Collectibles Group firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Certified Collectibles Group
- Legal name
- Certified Collectibles Group, LLC
- Website
- https://www.collectiblesgroup.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1999
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Certified Collectibles Group operates NGC, PMG, CGC, CGC Cards, ASG, and JSA to provide third-party authentication, grading, and encapsulation services for coins, paper money, comics, trading cards, stamps, video games, and autographs, serving individual collectors, dealers, and major auction houses globally.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Certified Collectibles Group industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Collectibles Authentication and Grading Services
- NAICS
- Hobby, Toy, and Game Retailers (459120), Hobby, Toy, and Game Retailers (45912)
- SIC
- Services-Consumer Credit Reporting, Collection Agencies (7320), Retail-Hobby, Toy & Game Shops (5945)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Collectible Card Games (CCG/TCG) Retail (CRALAGAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Sports Collectibles Grading & Authentication Services (CRAMAOAH)
Keywords
Where Certified Collectibles Group is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Sarasota
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices10 records
Markets served
Certified Collectibles Group business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Grading and Authentication Services: Per-submission fees for authentication and grading services. Customers pay based on the type and value of collectible submitted for certification.
- Collectors Society Membership: Annual membership program providing benefits and preferential pricing for submitters
- Encapsulation Services: Professional encapsulation of certified items in protective holders
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | CGC Cards Standard Grading - $17 for 30-day turnaround |
| Subscription | Annual | Collector's Society Annual Membership |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Certified Collectibles Group product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Certified Collectibles Group provides independent, third-party authentication, grading, and encapsulation services for collectibles across multiple categories — coins (NGC), paper money (PMG), comics (CGC), trading cards (CGC Cards), video games (CGC Video Games), home video, stamps (ASG), and autographs (JSA) — for individual collectors, dealers, and major auction houses. Customers submit items directly or through authorized submission centers, receive a standardized grade and certificate, and gain access to shared registries and research tools.
Product overview
Certified Collectibles Group (CCG) operates a multi-brand platform providing expert, impartial authentication and grading services for collectibles. The portfolio spans six core product lines: NGC (coins, since 1987), PMG (paper money, since 2005), CGC (comics, since 2000), CGC Cards (trading cards, since 2020), CGC Video Games (video games), and ASG (stamps, since 2017). Following the March 2024 acquisition of JSA, CCG added autograph authentication services. These divisions share common infrastructure including the Collectors Society membership platform, registry services, research tools (census/population reports, price guides), and conservation services. CGC Cards was formed in 2023 by consolidating CGC Trading Cards and CSG into a unified brand.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- NGC (Numismatic Guaranty Company) Third-party coin grading service providing authentication, grading, and encapsulation for collectible coins, tokens, and medals, used by individual collectors, dealers, and auction houses. NGC is the official grading service of the American Numismatic Association (ANA) and the Professional Numismatists Guild (PNG).
- PMG (Paper Money Guaranty) World's largest third-party paper money grading service providing authentication, grading, and encapsulation for banknotes, used by collectors and dealers. PMG is the official paper money grading service of the ANA and PNG.
- CGC (Certified Guaranty Company) Independent third-party comic book grading service providing authentication, grading, and encapsulation for comics, magazines, lobby cards, and vintage photographs, including pressing and restoration services.
- CGC Cards Trading card grading division providing expert authentication, grading, and encapsulation for TCGs (Pokémon, Magic, Dragon Ball Super), sports cards (Topps, Panini, Upper Deck), and non-sports cards.
- CGC Video Games
Quantifiable outcome
- CGC Cards offers 30-day turnaround at $17 vs PSA's 45-day turnaround at $24.99 - faster and more affordable
Companies that use Certified Collectibles Group
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Certified Collectibles Group technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Certified Collectibles Group partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- JSA (James Spence Authentication)coreStrategic acquisition of James Spence Authentication, the leading authentication service for autographs and signed memorabilia. This acquisition on March 20, 2024 significantly expands CCG's authentication capabilities beyond collectibles into the autograph market.
- Whitman PublishingOfficial supply store partnership providing authentication supplies, grading submission materials, and collectibles-related products to CCG customers.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Certified Collectibles Group competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Beckett Grading Services (BGS): Long-standing third-party grading service for trading cards, also operating Beckett Authentication Services (BAS) for autographs. Directly competes with CGC Cards and JSA in the same submitters and auction-house channels.
- ANACS: Long-established alternative coin grading service. Competes with NGC for collector submissions and dealer volume in the numismatic vertical.
- Sportscard Guaranty Corporation (SGC): Specialist third-party grader focused on sports cards. Competes directly with CGC Cards on pricing, turnaround, and slabbed inventory for the same collector and dealer customer base.
- CBCS (Comic Book Certification Service): Independent third-party comic book grading service. Directly comparable to and competitive with CGC's comics division for collector and dealer submissions.
- PSA (Collectors Universe / Professional Sports Authenticator): The dominant third-party grading service for trading cards and a leading autograph authenticator (PSA/DNA). Most directly comparable to CCG's CGC Cards and JSA divisions, competing head-to-head on price, turnaround, and slab liquidity.
- Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS): The leading competitor to NGC in third-party coin grading, with similarly established population data and auction-house relationships. Most directly comparable to CCG's NGC division.
- Professional Stamp Experts (PSE): Established US stamp authentication and grading service. Closest direct peer to CCG's ASG division, particularly relevant as ASG expands beyond its initial mainland China focus.
- VGA (Video Game Authority): Third-party video game grading service. Competes with CGC Video Games for collector and dealer submissions in the sealed and graded video game market.
- WATA Games: Specialist video game grading service. Competes directly with CGC Video Games for grading of retro and modern console games across Nintendo, Sega, PlayStation, and Xbox platforms.
Emerging players
- TAG Grading: Newer trading card grading entrant with a focus on tech-enabled submission workflows. Partial overlap with CGC Cards on sports and TCG submitters, particularly through online/direct channels.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Certified Collectibles Group social profiles
Digital presenceCertified Collectibles Group compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
Certified Collectibles Group financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Certified Collectibles Group leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Certified Collectibles Group subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries9 records
Certified Collectibles Group funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Certified Collectibles Group M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Certified Collectibles Group
What does Certified Collectibles Group do?
Certified Collectibles Group provides independent, third-party authentication, grading, and encapsulation services for collectibles across multiple categories — coins (NGC), paper money (PMG), comics (CGC), trading cards (CGC Cards), video games (CGC Video Games), home video, stamps (ASG), and autographs (JSA) — for individual collectors, dealers, and major auction houses. Customers submit items directly or through authorized submission centers, receive a standardized grade and certificate, and gain access to shared registries and research tools.
Is Certified Collectibles Group a public or private company?
Certified Collectibles Group is a private company. It is classified as private equity controlled and is currently operating.
When was Certified Collectibles Group founded?
Certified Collectibles Group was founded in 1999. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Certified Collectibles Group based?
Certified Collectibles Group is headquartered in Sarasota, United States, in the North America region.
How does Certified Collectibles Group make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Grading and Authentication Services are the primary driver. The others are collectors Society Membership and encapsulation Services.
Who are Certified Collectibles Group's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Beckett Grading Services (BGS), ANACS, Sportscard Guaranty Corporation (SGC), CBCS (Comic Book Certification Service), PSA (Collectors Universe / Professional Sports Authenticator), Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS), Professional Stamp Experts (PSE), VGA (Video Game Authority) and WATA Games. TAG Grading is listed as an emerging player.
Does Certified Collectibles Group have an API?
No public API is recorded for Certified Collectibles Group.
What industry is Certified Collectibles Group in?
Certified Collectibles Group's product category is Collectibles Authentication and Grading Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRALAGAC, Collectible Card Games (CCG/TCG) Retail, with a secondary code of CRAMAOAH, Sports Collectibles Grading & Authentication Services. Its NAICS code is 459120 and its SIC code is 7320.