# PSA trading‑card grading lawsuit and backlog

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/psa-tradingcard-grading-lawsuit-and-backlog
> Updated: 2026-08-04T17:15:46.000Z. Sources: 5. Developments: 2.

In late July 2026 a class‑action suit was filed in the U.S. District Court for Maryland alleging that Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA) misled customers about the objectivity of its card‑grading process and created financial incentives for repeat submissions. The complaint also accuses PSA’s parent, Collectors Holdings, of conflicts of interest and of grading a tampered T206 Honus Wagner card.

Within a week, reports highlighted that PSA’s backlog of ungraded cards had risen to over 12 million, up from a prior 11 million. Industry figures warned that the growing backlog was disrupting cash flow for collectors and dealers, prompting some to seek alternative grading services and driving up fees. The combined legal challenge and operational strain threatened PSA’s dominant role in the multi‑billion‑dollar trading‑card market.

## Timeline

### 2026-08-04: Professional Sports Authenticator faces lawsuit and grading backlog

PSA faces a Maryland class‑action lawsuit over alleged grading fraud and conflicts, while its backlog of over 12 million cards strains cash flow for collectors and industry players.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/professional-sports-authenticator-faces-lawsuit-and-grading-backlog

### 2026-07-30: Professional Sports Authenticator faces US class action over alleged grading fraud

A US class action filed July 28 accuses PSA and Collectors Holdings of misleading grading standards, using subjective criteria and profiting from repeat submissions, shaking the trading‑card market.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/professional-sports-authenticator-faces-us-class-action-over-alleged-grading-fraud

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Cite as: PSA trading‑card grading lawsuit and backlog. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/psa-tradingcard-grading-lawsuit-and-backlog