Terms of Service

1. Definitions

In these Terms:

• “RKT Grading”, “we”, “us”, “our” means RKT Grading Services, based in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, United Kingdom.
• “Card” means a trading card submitted for grading.
• “Grade” means the numerical score (1–10) assigned to a Card following our grading process.
• “Sub-grade” means a component score for Centering, Surfaces, Edges, or Corners.
• “Slab” means the tamper-evident, NFC-authenticated encapsulation holder containing a graded Card.
• “Submission” means one or more Cards sent to us for grading under a single order.
• “Certificate” means the unique certificate number assigned to a graded Card, verifiable via our website and NFC.
• “Population Report” means our public database of all graded Cards and their Grades.
• “Website” means rktgrading.com and all associated pages and services.
• “You”, “your” means any person using our Website or services.

2. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing our Website, creating an account, or submitting Cards for grading, you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service. If you do not agree, you must not use our services. We recommend you print or save a copy of these Terms for your records.

3. Eligibility

You must be at least 18 years of age to use our services. If you are under 18, a parent or legal guardian must create the account and submit Cards on your behalf. We primarily serve customers in the United Kingdom, though we may accept international submissions at our discretion.

4. Account Terms

When you create an account, you agree to:

• Provide accurate, current, and complete registration information.
• Maintain the security of your password and account credentials.
• Accept responsibility for all activity that occurs under your account.
• Notify us immediately of any unauthorised use of your account.

We reserve the right to suspend or terminate accounts that violate these Terms, contain false information, or are used for fraudulent purposes.

5. Services

RKT Grading provides the following services:

• Card grading: Professional assessment of trading cards across four sub-grade categories (Centering, Surfaces, Edges, Corners) resulting in an overall Grade on a 1–10 scale.
• Authentication: Verification that submitted Cards are genuine and not counterfeit.
• Encapsulation: Sealing graded Cards in tamper-evident Slabs for protection and display.
• NFC verification: Each Slab contains an NTAG 424 DNA NFC chip with a cryptographic signature, enabling tap-to-verify authentication with any NFC-enabled smartphone.
• Population Report: A public, searchable database of all graded Cards, their Grades, and Certificate numbers.
• Certificate lookup: Online verification of any RKT Certificate number at rktgrading.com/verify.

6. Submission Process

Your Obligations

• You must own the Cards or have the legal right and authority to submit them for grading.
• All Cards must be genuine. Submitting known counterfeits is a violation of these Terms and may result in account termination.
• Cards must be packaged securely using appropriate materials (e.g., penny sleeves, toploaders, bubble wrap). RKT Grading is not responsible for damage caused by inadequate packaging during inbound shipping.
• You must provide accurate card details and declared values when creating a Submission.

Our Obligations

• Upon receipt of your Submission, we will inspect, photograph, and catalogue all Cards.
• Cards are stored in a secure, climate-controlled environment during the grading process.
• We will grade, encapsulate, and return your Cards within the turnaround time associated with your chosen edition (see Section 7).
• If a Card cannot be graded (e.g., it is determined to be counterfeit, altered, or too damaged), we will notify you and return the Card ungraded. The grading fee for that Card will be refunded.

7. Editions & Turnaround Times

We offer three grading editions, each with a different turnaround commitment. Turnaround times are measured in working days from the date we receive your Submission to the date it is dispatched for return:

Turnaround times are estimates and may be affected by volume. We will notify you of any significant delays. Turnaround times do not include postal transit time.

8. Pricing & Payment

• All prices are in British pounds sterling (GBP) and include VAT where applicable.
• The per-card price covers grading, encapsulation, slab, NFC chip, population registry entry, and insured return shipping within the UK.
• The minimum order value is £30.
• Payment is processed securely via Stripe at the time of Submission. We accept major credit and debit cards.
• We reserve the right to adjust pricing with reasonable notice. Any price changes will not affect Submissions already in progress.
• Bulk pricing may be available for submissions of 20 or more Cards. Contact us for details.

9. Grading Standards

Our grading process combines advanced grading technology with human authentication to deliver consistent, objective grades.

• Each Card is assessed across four sub-grade categories: Centering, Surfaces, Edges, and Corners.
• Sub-grades are combined into an overall Grade on a 1–10 scale (with half-point increments).
• Grades are final. Our grades represent our professional assessment at the time of grading. We do not offer re-grades or grade appeals for the same Submission.
• If you believe a grading error has occurred (e.g., wrong card graded, label misprint), contact us within 14 days of receiving your graded Cards.
• A Card that fails authentication (identified as counterfeit or altered) will be returned ungraded and the grading fee refunded. We reserve the right to retain or mark counterfeit Cards at our discretion.

10. Shipping & Delivery

Inbound Shipping (You to Us)

You are responsible for shipping Cards to us securely at your own cost. We recommend using a tracked, insured service. RKT Grading is not liable for Cards lost or damaged in transit to us.

Return Shipping (Us to You)

All Submissions include insured return shipping within the United Kingdom via Royal Mail. Imperator edition Submissions are returned via Royal Mail Special Delivery. International return shipping may incur additional charges.

We are not liable for delays caused by the shipping provider once the parcel leaves our premises. In the event of loss or damage during return transit, we will work with Royal Mail to process an insurance claim on your behalf.

11. Insurance & Card Care

While your Cards are in our possession, they are:

• Stored in a secure, climate-controlled environment
• Covered by our business insurance against loss, theft, and damage
• Handled by trained staff following strict handling procedures

In the unlikely event of loss or damage while in our care, our liability is limited to the declared value of the Card at the time of Submission, up to a maximum of £500 per Card unless a higher value has been agreed in writing. You must declare card values accurately at the time of Submission.

12. Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law:

• Our total liability for any claim arising from our grading services shall not exceed the grading fee paid for the relevant Submission, except for claims relating to loss or damage to Cards (see Section 11).
• We are not liable for any indirect, consequential, special, or incidental damages, including loss of profit, loss of opportunity, or diminution in card value.
• We are not liable for pre-existing damage, defects, or conditions that were present before the Card was received by us.
• We do not guarantee that a specific Grade will increase or maintain a Card's market value.
• Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, fraud, or any other liability that cannot be excluded by law.

13. NFC Verification & Certificates

Each Slab contains an NTAG 424 DNA NFC chip with a unique cryptographic signature that cannot be cloned. This enables:

• Instant verification by tapping any NFC-enabled smartphone to the Slab (no app required).
• Online Certificate lookup at rktgrading.com/verify.

NFC verification confirms that the Slab was produced by RKT Grading and that the Grade shown matches our records. It does not constitute a guarantee of Card value, investment advice, or a warranty of any kind.

14. Population Report

By using our services, you agree that the following data from your graded Cards will be published in our public Population Report:

• Card name, set, game, and variant
• Grade and sub-grades
• Certificate number
• Date graded

Your personal information (name, address, email) is never published in the Population Report. Population data is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as the sole basis for investment decisions.

15. Intellectual Property

All content on the Website, including logos, text, images, software, and design, is the property of RKT Grading Services and is protected by copyright and other intellectual property laws. You may not reproduce, distribute, or create derivative works from any content without our prior written consent.

By submitting Cards for grading, you grant us a non-exclusive, royalty-free licence to photograph and use images of your Cards for our Website, Population Report, marketing materials, and social media. No personal information will be associated with these images without your explicit consent.

16. Prohibited Conduct

You agree not to:

• Submit known counterfeit, altered, or trimmed Cards
• Tamper with, open, or attempt to reseal any Slab
• Use our services for money laundering or any illegal purpose
• Create multiple accounts to circumvent restrictions
• Interfere with the Website's operation or other users' access
• Misrepresent grades, certificates, or our affiliation
• Use automated tools to scrape or harvest data from the Website

Violation of these provisions may result in immediate account termination and legal action.

17. Dispute Resolution

If you have a complaint or dispute, please contact us first at support@rktgrading.com. We aim to resolve all complaints within 14 working days. See our Complaints Policy for full details.

If we cannot reach a resolution, you may pursue the matter through the courts. These Terms are governed by the laws of England and Wales, and the courts of England and Wales shall have exclusive jurisdiction.

18. Termination

You may close your account at any time by contacting us. We may suspend or terminate your access if you violate these Terms. Upon termination:

• Any pending Submissions will be completed and returned to you.
• Your grading records and Certificate data will remain in the Population Report.
• Your personal data will be handled in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

19. General Provisions

• Force majeure: We shall not be liable for delays or failure to perform caused by events beyond our reasonable control, including natural disasters, pandemics, strikes, war, government action, or failure of third-party services.
• Severability: If any provision of these Terms is found to be unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect.
• Entire agreement: These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy, Cookie Policy, and any specific agreements entered into for a Submission, constitute the entire agreement between you and RKT Grading.
• Waiver: Our failure to enforce any right under these Terms does not constitute a waiver of that right.
• Assignment: You may not assign your rights under these Terms without our written consent. We may assign our rights to a successor or affiliate.

20. Changes to Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time. Material changes will be communicated via email or a prominent notice on our Website. Continued use of our services after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms. If you do not agree to the updated Terms, you should stop using our services.

21. Contact

For questions about these Terms, contact us: