Collect Aura, PCA, CCC or Pure Grading: which French grading company should you choose?

If you want to get a Pokémon card graded without sending it to the United States, four French companies come up most often: Collect Aura, PCA, CCC Grading and Pure Grading. They don't grade the same way, cost the same or take the same time. Here is what each one states on its official website (checked in October 2026), and how to prepare your cards whichever company you choose.

Why choose a French company?

Sending a card to PSA or CGC from France or Belgium often means going through a middleman, with longer turnaround. French companies can be reached by post or parcel locker, and some accept drop-off in person. Their recognition at resale is mainly French-speaking: for a card aimed at the international market, PSA remains the benchmark (see our comparison PSA, CGC or PCA).

Collect Aura

Collect Aura is based in Saint-Cloud, near Paris. Its price list starts with pre-grading at €4.90, then Standard certification from €9.90, a tier with subgrades from €11.90 and an Advanced tier from €17.90, which lists the defects taken into account in the grade. Turnaround ranges from same day (on site) to 40 working days, with 5, 10 and 20-day tiers.

Its scale goes up to 10 Perfect, reserved for cards whose four subgrades are all 10, above 10 Gem Mint and 9.5 Mint+. A card more than 70% off-centre gets the OC (Off-Centered) mention. Collect Aura publishes a population report, offers an online authenticity check and accepts drop-off at partner shops.

PCA

PCA (Professional Cards Authenticator) has been based in Paris since 2016. Each card is graded by three experts, on a scale that goes up to 10+ Collector, above 10 Neuf Sup' and 9.5 Neuf. Certification is advertised from €10.90. PCA states that cards showing traces meant to mask defects are not processed.

Full details in our guide PCA Pokémon, and to see how many copies of a card have already been graded: reading the PCA population report.

CCC Grading

CCC (Certificateur de Cartes de Collection) offers in-person drop-off near Paris and postal submission. Its price depends on the card's declared value: €20 up to €50, €23 up to €100, €27 up to €500 and €31 above. Express (10 working days, +€5), Super-Express (3 days, +€20) and Ultra-Express (same day, +€40) options shorten the turnaround. Pre-grading costs €6.90.

What sets it apart is how the grade is calculated: not an average, but the score of the weakest criterion, raised one step if that criterion is the only low one. A 10 on all four criteria gives a Black Label; three 10s and one 9.5 give a Gold Label.

Pure Grading

Pure Grading is based in Brignoles, in the Var (south-east France). It offers authentication at €11 and grading from €14 to €20 per card depending on the tier (the most complete adds a detailed report), with three label types: Standard, Color Match (you pick the colours) and Pure Label (illustrated). Turnaround ranges from same day (+€38) to 45 working days on the economy tier, from 20 cards.

Important for preparation: its FAQ states that only surface dust is removed, using an ionising system, and asks you to clean your cards before sending them.

The comparison at a glance

• Entry price: Collect Aura €9.90; PCA €10.90; Pure Grading €14 (grading); CCC €20.
• Top grade: 10 Perfect (Collect Aura); 10+ Collector (PCA); 10 Black Label (CCC); see Pure Grading's scale.
• Subgrades: optional at Collect Aura; four subgrades in Pure Grading's grading; four graded criteria at CCC.
• Fastest turnaround: same day at Collect Aura (on site), CCC (+€40) and Pure Grading (+€38).
• In-person drop-off: Saint-Cloud and partner shops (Collect Aura), Paris (PCA), near Paris (CCC).

Prices change often: always check the official price list when you order, and add shipping both ways.

Which one should you choose?

• Small budget, lots of cards: Collect Aura or Pure Grading's economy tier.
• Resale in France or Belgium: PCA, the oldest and the most cited in French-speaking listings.
• High-value card in perfect condition: CCC, whose Black Label singles out cards with no defects at all.
• Custom label: Pure Grading (Color Match, Pure Label) or Collect Aura and its wide choice of labels.

Before paying, assess the card's condition honestly: our pre-grading guide explains how to check centering, corners, edges and surface. For the full process, see how to get a Pokémon card graded.

Preparing your cards, whichever company you choose

All four companies grade the surface. Dust, fingerprints and greasy film cost points that don't reflect the card's real condition. An alcohol-free cleaning spray sprayed onto a microfibre cloth, never directly onto the card, is usually enough; every step is in cleaning a card before grading.

Cleaning is not touching up: PCA refuses cards whose defects have been masked, and Pure Grading flags added ink with an "Inked" mention. Then slip the card into a new sleeve and a semi-rigid holder (see how to protect your Pokémon cards). Everything you need for the preparation is in the Pokémon card restoration kit for €59.

FAQ

Which French grading company is the cheapest?

According to their official price lists in October 2026, Collect Aura has the lowest entry price (certification from €9.90), ahead of PCA (from €10.90), Pure Grading (grading from €14) and CCC Grading (from €20). Add shipping both ways.

Collect Aura or PCA: which should you choose?

Collect Aura is slightly cheaper and offers more turnaround options; PCA is the oldest (2016) and the most present in French-speaking listings, with three experts per card. For resale in France or Belgium, both are recognised; compare price and turnaround for your batch.

How much does CCC Grading cost?

CCC charges by declared value: €20 up to €50, €23 up to €100, €27 up to €500 and €31 above, plus turnaround options (from +€5 to +€40).

Where is Pure Grading based?

Pure Grading is based in Brignoles, in the Var (south-east France). Orders are placed online and cards are sent by post.

Should you clean your cards before sending them for grading?

Yes, lightly: Pure Grading asks for it explicitly and only removes surface dust. A gentle clean (alcohol-free spray on a microfibre cloth) avoids losing surface points. Any touch-up meant to hide a defect, however, must be avoided.