WHY AIM
Built for collectors who'd rather not wait months.
Traditional grading built this hobby. But long queues, US-dollar pricing, cross-border shipping and value-based tiers make it slow and costly for Canadian collectors. AIM was built to fix exactly those parts.
01COMPARISON
| Factor | AIM Grading Lab | Traditional graders (typical) |
|---|---|---|
| Turnaround | Same day before the cutoff, or Saver within 5 business days | Weeks to months at economy service levels |
| Price | Same day $20 CAD · Saver $15 CAD per card | Tiered by card value and speed, often in US dollars |
| Where your cards go | Graded in Canada; they never cross a border | Often shipped to the US and back |
| Customs and brokerage | None | Possible on cross-border shipments |
| Who grades | AI measures every card; a trained grader confirms every grade | Human graders; methods vary |
| What you see | Images, four subgrades and the measurements behind them, for every card | Subgrades and images often extra or unavailable |
| Slab verification | Anti-clone NFC chip; tap with a modern phone | Usually a certificate number or QR lookup |
| Record of the grade | A public ledger entry anyone can check | A private company database |
| Grade review | Free within 30 days | Usually a paid service |
02FOUR REASONS
Speed you can plan around
"Same day" means the business day your cards arrive, with a published cutoff. You'll know exactly when your slabs ship.
Two straightforward prices
Same day $20 CAD or Saver $15 CAD per card, for cards declared up to $1,000 CAD each. No membership. [[Optional, if adopted: No upcharge if your card is worth more after grading.]]
Accuracy you can see
Every grade comes with high-resolution images, subgrades and the measurements behind them. Disagree? Request a free review within 30 days and a second grader re-checks the card.
Trust that travels with the card
Buyers can tap your slab to confirm it's genuine and see the same images and record you do, today or years from now.
03STRAIGHT TALK
Where traditional graders still lead
Decades of sales history. Some buyers still pay more for long-established labels, and we won't pretend otherwise. Our answer is evidence: every AIM grade shows its measurements and images, and every AIM slab can prove itself with a tap.