REGISTER
DASHBOARD

Degree Terms & Conditions

Last Updated: May 22, 2026

Please read these Terms and Conditions (“Terms,” “Agreement”) carefully before submitting your cards to Degree Media, Inc., a Delaware corporation doing business as “Degree” (“Degree,” “we,” “us,” or “our”), at https://www.degreegrading.com. By accessing or using Degree’s services, placing an order, submitting cards, or otherwise interacting with the Service, you agree to be bound by these Terms. If you disagree with any part of the Terms, then you may not access or use the Service.

Acceptance of Terms

  1. By clicking “I agree,” placing an order, paying any fee, submitting a submission form, sending cards to Degree, or otherwise using the Services, you agree to these Terms. If a submission is made by a dealer, agent, intermediary, or other third party, that submitter represents and warrants that it has actual authority to act for the owner and to bind the owner to these Terms with respect to the submitted cards.

Service Description and Turnaround Times

  1. Degree provides professional card grading, preservation, and encapsulation services. While we strive to meet stated estimated turnaround times, all turnaround times are approximate and not guaranteed. We shall not be liable for any delays or consequential damages resulting from our inability to meet a specific timeframe. All stated times are business days and do not include weekends or holidays.
  2. No Guarantee of Authenticity: Degree’s evaluation is our professional opinion regarding the condition and/or authenticity of cards. We do not and cannot guarantee authenticity. Sophisticated counterfeits or alterations may escape detection despite our efforts and expertise. By using our Service, you acknowledge and accept this risk and assume all responsibility for any authenticity disputes arising after return of the card, including after resale.

Submission of Cards

  1. Prohibition on Fraudulent or Altered Cards: Degree will refuse to grade cards that appear to be tampered with, altered, trimmed, restored, or otherwise questionable as to authenticity. You agree not to knowingly submit any card that is counterfeit, fraudulent, inauthentic, or altered for grading, encapsulation, or display.
  2. Right to Refuse Service and Post-Grading Action: Degree may refuse, decertify, void, or decline to honor any label, grade, certification record, or other recognition associated with a card that Degree later believes to be counterfeit, altered, tampered with, or otherwise ineligible. If the holder returns the slab or card to Degree, Degree may, in its discretion, relabel, mark, or de-encapsulate the item. If we expend resources to evaluate a card and subsequently determine it to be inauthentic, altered, or otherwise ungradable, you will be responsible for the associated costs, including any forensic review fees.
  3. Representation of Authenticity: Customer represents and warrants that, for each submitted card: (a) Customer is the lawful owner of the card or is expressly authorized by the lawful owner to submit it; (b) the card is not stolen, unlawfully possessed, or subject to any undisclosed lien, security interest, consignment dispute, or ownership claim; (c) submission of the card to Degree and Degree’s performance of the Services will not violate any law, court order, or third-party right; and (d) Customer has full authority to grant Degree any lien or other rights expressly stated in these Terms. You further agree that Degree shall have no liability for grading any card subsequently determined to be fake, altered, or containing a fraudulent autograph if such defects were not reasonably detectable during our inspection.
  4. Submission Kit Non-Refundable: Once a Submission Kit has been dispatched to the shipping address you provided, the associated $5 fee becomes immediately earned and is not refundable—even if you later cancel your order, request a refund, or decide not to send your cards to Degree. The kit’s packing materials are consumable and the fulfillment cost is incurred at the moment of dispatch; therefore, the kit is neither returnable nor reusable. If you cancel before the kit has been dispatched, the Submission Kit fee will be refunded in full.
  5. Submission Kit Return Label Use: Any prepaid return label provided with a Degree Submission Kit is issued solely for use with the original Submission Kit packaging or other packaging expressly approved by Degree. If a customer uses a Submission Kit return label on oversized, substituted, altered, or materially heavier packaging, Degree may assess a non-standard return packaging fee of $10 and/or any additional postage adjustment, carrier surcharge, or related handling cost incurred by Degree. Degree may charge any such amount to the payment method on file.

  6. Eligibility Guidelines
    Degree will only grade authentic cards from officially licensed sets. All submissions must meet the following requirements:

    • Card Dimensions: Maximum size: 2 9/16” x 3 9/16” or 180pt thickness. Minimum size: 2 3/10” x 3 3/10”. Cards outside these dimensions are ineligible for encapsulation.

    • Authenticity & Manufacturing Origin: Only cards produced and released by officially licensed manufacturers are eligible. Bootleg, custom, counterfeit, unauthorized reprints, or unlicensed cards will not be graded.

    • Autographs: Only pack-pulled, manufacturer-authenticated autographs (sometimes referred to as “1st-party autographs”) are eligible. Third-party, post-release, or aftermarket autographs are ineligible, even if authenticated by another company.

    Any card submitted that does not meet these eligibility guidelines will be returned unencapsulated. Evaluation fees remain non-refundable if time and resources have already been expended to assess an ineligible card.

Subjective Nature of Grading

  1. All grades, subgrades, designations, authenticity opinions, labels, and encapsulation decisions are subjective professional opinions only. They are not statements of fact, guarantees, warranties, appraisals, or predictions of market value. Degree disclaims liability for disagreement with any grade or opinion and for any loss of profits, lost resale opportunity, diminution in value, market fluctuation, reputational harm, or other damages allegedly resulting from any grade, designation, authenticity opinion, or encapsulation decision.
  2. No Warranty: All grading determinations are final and carry no warranties, express or implied. Grading fees are non-refundable once the process begins, regardless of outcome or disagreement. Except as expressly stated in these Terms, the Services are provided “as is” and “as available.”

Handling, Liability & Shipping Protection

  1. Inspection and Notice of Claim: Customer must inspect all returned submissions promptly upon delivery. Any claim for visible shipping damage, missing items, or label/clerical error must be reported in writing within 7 calendar days after carrier-marked delivery. Any claim for non-visible physical damage allegedly caused by Degree’s handling must be reported in writing within 30 calendar days after delivery, and Customer must preserve the original shipping materials, holder, and all related packaging for inspection. All such notices must be sent to [email protected] or any other claim-notice address Degree designates on its website. Failure to provide timely notice waives the claim to the fullest extent permitted by law.
  2. Duty of Care: Degree will exercise reasonable care while submitted cards are in Degree’s actual possession.
  3. Loss or Physical Damage; Exclusive Remedy: If a submitted card is physically lost or physically damaged as a direct result of Degree’s failure to exercise reasonable care while the card is in Degree’s actual possession, Customer’s sole and exclusive remedy shall be the lesser of: (a) the card’s fair market value immediately prior to the loss or damage as reasonably determined by Degree using recent comparable sales; or (b) the amount of Shipping Protection proceeds actually recovered for that card, if applicable.
  4. All Other Claims: Except for the physical loss or physical damage remedy described above, Degree’s total aggregate liability arising out of any submission or Services shall not exceed the fees actually paid for the grading services relating to the card(s) at issue.
  5. Excluded Damages: Degree shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, exemplary, speculative, punitive, or market-based damages including lost profits, lost resale opportunities, diminution in value, market fluctuation, sentimental value, or reputational harm.
  6. Non-Excludable Conduct: Nothing in these Terms limits liability to the extent such limitation is prohibited by law, including liability for conversion to Degree’s own use, gross negligence, or willful misconduct.
  7. Inbound Shipment Risk: Customer bears all risk of loss, theft, delay, and damage for any shipment sent to Degree until the package is actually received and scanned into Degree’s facility. Customer is solely responsible for the carrier selected, packaging, and any inbound Shipping Protection the Customer elects to purchase.
  8. Outbound Shipment Risk: After Degree completes the Services, Degree will ship to the return address and using the shipping option on file or otherwise confirmed by Customer. Except to the extent directly caused by Degree’s failure to use the address provided by Customer or Degree’s failure to use commercially reasonable packaging before tender, risk of loss, theft, delay, and damage transfers to Customer when Degree tenders the shipment to the carrier. Degree’s sole obligation for a post-tender loss is to reasonably cooperate with any carrier or insurer claim.

  9. Third-Party Receiving Locations: Claims protection does not cover non-receipt after carrier-confirmed delivery to a third-party receiving location selected by the Customer, including private mailboxes, UPS Store mailboxes, commercial mail receiving agencies, mail forwarding services, freight forwarders, hotels, apartment package rooms, shared mailrooms, package lockers, business reception desks, or similar locations.

    Delivery or signature by the location, its employees, mailroom personnel, front desk staff, or any authorized or apparent representative will be treated as completed delivery. Because these locations may accept packages in bulk or sign for multiple recipients, Degree cannot verify chain of custody after delivery. Non-receipt claims after carrier-confirmed delivery to these locations are not eligible for reimbursement unless the carrier confirms the package was lost before delivery or delivered to the wrong address.

 

Fees, Payment & Lien Rights

  1. Payment of Fees: You agree to pay Degree for all applicable fees. All fees are non-refundable once the process has commenced.
  2. Payment Authorization: Degree retains payment methods on file for your convenience. Upon completion of services—or at the time we take possession of your cards if we invoice immediately—Degree will charge the payment method on file for any owed amount.
  3. Billing Disputes and Payment Reversals: Before initiating a chargeback or payment dispute, Customer agrees to give Degree written notice of the issue at [email protected] or any other billing-dispute address Degree designates on its website, and 10 business days to investigate and attempt to resolve it. Customer will not initiate any chargeback, reversal, or payment dispute except on a good-faith basis permitted by applicable law. If a chargeback, reversal, or dispute is resolved in Degree’s favor, Customer remains liable for the amount due and any reasonable costs and fees actually incurred by Degree in responding to the dispute, to the extent permitted by law.
  4. Abandoned Orders:
    1. Possessory Lien: Degree retains a possessory lien on submitted cards while they remain in Degree’s possession for unpaid grading fees, shipping, storage charges, preservation expenses, and other charges expressly stated in these Terms or the submission record.
    2. Definition: An order is deemed abandoned if any outstanding balance remains unpaid for ninety (90) calendar days from the date the invoice was first issued.
    3. Notice: Degree may suspend release of the submission until all amounts due are paid. Degree will make reasonable efforts to notify Customer of the outstanding balance using the contact information on file.
    4. Disposition of Unpaid Cards: If an order remains unpaid for ninety (90) days after the invoice date, and after Degree has made reasonable efforts to provide notice using the contact information on file, Degree may enforce its lien or otherwise dispose of the cards in a commercially reasonable manner permitted by applicable law in order to recover unpaid amounts, storage charges, and reasonable enforcement expenses.
    5. Application of Proceeds: Degree may apply any proceeds first to unpaid lawful charges and reasonable enforcement expenses, and any remaining surplus will be handled as required by applicable law.
    6. Interest on Late Payments: Interest at 1.5% per month, or the maximum amount allowed by law if lower, will accrue on past-due balances.
  •  

Third-Party Submissions

  1. Submissions via Third Parties: If cards are submitted by a third party on your behalf, you remain bound by these Terms.
  2. No Liability for Third-Party Acts: Degree has no liability for disputes between you and the third party.
  3. Indemnification: Customer shall defend, indemnify, and hold harmless Degree and its officers, employees, contractors, and agents from and against any third-party claims, demands, actions, liabilities, damages, judgments, losses, fines, penalties, costs, and reasonable attorneys’ fees arising out of or related to: (a) Customer’s breach of these Terms; (b) counterfeit, altered, stolen, unlawfully possessed, or encumbered cards submitted by or for Customer; (c) any dispute regarding ownership, consignment, authority, or entitlement to possession or proceeds; (d) Customer’s resale, marketing, advertising, or representations regarding any card after Degree performs the Services; or (e) the acts or omissions of any dealer, intermediary, consignor, consignee, or other third party acting for Customer.

Governing Law & Dispute Resolution

  1. Governing Law: This Agreement is governed by the laws of the State of Nevada, without regard to conflict of law principles.
  2. Binding Arbitration: Any dispute, claim, or controversy arising out of or relating to these Terms, the Services, or any submission (including but not limited to claims of breach, negligence, fraud, or statutory violations) shall be resolved exclusively through final and binding arbitration, rather than in court. The arbitration shall be administered by the American Arbitration Association (AAA) in accordance with its Commercial Arbitration Rules. The arbitration shall take place in Clark County, Nevada.
  3. Pre-Dispute Resolution: Before initiating arbitration, the Customer agrees to provide written notice of the dispute and allow Degree at least thirty (30) days to attempt to resolve the matter informally. No arbitration may be initiated until this process is completed.
  4. Delegation: The arbitrator shall have exclusive authority to resolve any dispute relating to the interpretation, applicability, enforceability, or formation of this Agreement, including any claim that all or part of this Agreement or this arbitration provision is void, voidable, or otherwise unenforceable.
  5. Arbitration Costs: Each party shall bear its own legal fees and costs, except as otherwise awarded by the arbitrator or required by applicable law.
  6. Class Action Waiver: You agree that any arbitration or proceeding shall be conducted solely on an individual basis and not as a class, consolidated, or representative action. You waive any right to participate in a class action lawsuit or class-wide arbitration.
  7. Jury Trial Waiver: To the fullest extent permitted by law, you and Degree waive any right to a jury trial.
  8. Small Claims Exception: Notwithstanding the foregoing, either party may bring an individual claim in small claims court in Clark County, Nevada, provided the claim qualifies and remains on an individual basis.
  9. Exceptions: Notwithstanding the foregoing, Degree may bring claims in court to enforce its intellectual property rights, collect unpaid fees, enforce lien rights, or seek injunctive relief.
  10. Prevailing Party: The prevailing party in any arbitration or permitted court action shall be entitled to recover its reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs to the extent permitted by applicable law.
  11. Opt-Out Right: You may opt out of this arbitration agreement by sending written notice to Degree within thirty (30) days of first accepting these Terms. The notice must include your name, address, and a clear statement that you wish to opt out of arbitration.

Entire Agreement & Severability

  1. Entire Agreement: This is the complete agreement between you and Degree.
  2. Electronic Records: Degree may maintain electronic records of Customer’s assent to these Terms, including the version of the Terms presented, date and time of assent, order or submission ID, and any checkbox, signature, payment authorization, IP address, device information, or other electronically captured assent data associated with the submission, to the extent maintained by Degree in the ordinary course of business. Such records shall be admissible to the same extent as any other business records.
  3. Severability: If any provision is deemed invalid, the remainder shall continue in effect.
  4. Further Assurances: Each party agrees to execute further documents as necessary to effectuate these Terms.

SMS Notifications & Consent

  1. Transactional Service Messages: By providing your mobile number and opting in, Customer agrees to receive transactional or informational text messages from Degree relating to orders, account status, shipping, support, security, and service updates. Consent to receive transactional text messages is not a condition of purchase. Reply STOP to opt out and HELP for help. Degree will honor opt-out requests within a reasonable time, not to exceed 10 business days, as required by applicable law. Message and data rates may apply.

  2. Marketing Messages. Degree will not send promotional or marketing text messages using autodialed or similar technology unless Customer has separately provided any consent required by applicable law.

  3. Message Frequency: Up to 15 messages per month per order submitted.
  4. Message & Data Rates: May apply.
  5. Opt-Out: You may unsubscribe at any time by texting STOP.
  6. Customer Support: Contact [email protected].
  7. Privacy Policy: See our Privacy Policy for details.

Force Majeure

Degree shall not be liable for any delay or failure in performance caused by events beyond its reasonable control, including but not limited to acts of God, labor disputes, natural disasters, war, terrorism, epidemics, supply chain disruptions, or failures of carriers, suppliers, or service providers.

Acknowledgment

BY SUBMITTING CARDS: You acknowledge that you have read and understood these Terms, and agree to be bound by them. You also acknowledge that you have had the opportunity to seek independent legal counsel regarding these Terms and fully understand their effects.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding these Terms, please contact us at [email protected].