KSA Vs. MNT Grading Services (Which Is Better?)

Whether you collect Pokémon or Sports cards, Canadians have few choices when it comes to domestic grading services. Sure, there are plenty of grading companies to choose from, but there are two that dominate the industry- KSA and MNT. In this article, I compare and contrast the services so you can make an informed decision.

Overview

We will go into further detail for each category, but here is a table to compare the two services at a glance.

KSA Grading

Established in 1996, KSA is probably Canada’s most well-established grading service. They are based out of Ontario and have been operating for over two decades. When submitting with KSA you can expect fast and professional service.

KSA built its reputation off of sports card grading but also grades other trading cards as well as coins. KSA also sells NFTs, phygitals, and has its own card market online where you can purchase graded cards straight from them. 

This outreach into the market is why KSA has such a solid and widespread reputation.

Their popularity among collectors has recently been threatened by other domestic grading companies. Services such as MNT offer subgrades, KOBA offers bounties on specific cards, and pretty much everyone else has a much more aesthetically appealing slab.

MNT Grading

Established in 2016, MNT Grading is a great service to use and with a few years under its belt, submissions go smoothly and without hassle. Their website is clean and organized, very well reflecting their approach to the service. Their prices are a little higher than others, but they often have deals such as Black Friday and Back to School sales.

Their slabs are very similar to Beckett’s slabs, not only in dimension but overall aesthetic, too. MNT does display subgrades on every label free of charge and offers the highly sought-after ‘Flawless 10′, much like Beckett’s black label. 

First Impressions

Holding one of each company’s slabs in either hand, here are my initial impressions of their product.

MNT has a nicer slab, the plastic feels premium in comparison. Its edges are smooth and polished, unlike KSA’s slab which has sharper edges that feel raw. 

In addition to a nicer slab, MNT has a flashier label. MNT’s label also represents its tier system. A silver label is the lowest, with gold for 9.0 and 9.5, then a holo label for 10, and a black holo label for a Flawless 10.

KSA however, does have the black insert that surrounds the card. This is their gimmick, and those who love it will choose them over MNT for that reason. The black frame looks great on most cards, but really pops on some sports cards and does well with the yellow border of Pokémon cards.

KSA Vs. MNT Slab Comparison

Casing

Both slabs are identical in size, but there are some key differences to note.

As mentioned earlier, the MNT slab has a much smoother feel. This is a result of the case design. The KSA slab is basically two halves sonically sealed together, like a sandwich. 

But MNT slabs have a design in which one half is larger than the other and encases the smaller half. Think of a shoe box design and how it has a lid that fits over the box. This results in smooth edges with a clean look.

This also adds a little bit of rigidity to the MNT slab. Neither slab feels flimsy or cheap, but the MNT one feels solid when pressed on.

Labels

Each company has an entirely different label design than the other. MNT has a more modern look, while KSA looks classic.

MNT labels have subgrades on them, so you can see how your card scored among the four categories. KSA does not offer subgrades. However, this does result in MNT’s label looking busier.

KSA has a simple and clean label. Only the necessary information is on it, and it has a clean black border that helps make the test pop. KSA has a much more readable label. 

Unfortunately, KSA doesn’t offer anything special if you receive a grade of 10, but MNT does. MNT has a tier system built into its label design. You can receive different label colours based on the grade, with a Flawless 10 being a black holo label. 

Both labels have a serial number on the back, and KSA has a barcode on theirs.

Each company adds its logo to the left of the label. MNT’s logo is in the form of a stamp, while KSA opts for a sticker. This results in the sticker being slightly askew in some cases, but the MNT stamp is always spot-on. 

Card Encasement

Next, we’re going to look at how the actual card is contained inside the slab.

This is where KSA really stands out, because they add a black frame into their slabs. This is a soft black rectangular piece of foam with a slightly textured look. Its edges are clean and the overall look is very elegant.

The frame is a matter of personal preference but has the ability to make a card really pop.

MNT does not offer anything like this and presents its card in the same way most grading companies do. MNT does, however, sleeve the card by default. They use brand-new slim-fit sleeves, and you can’t even tell it is there unless you look closely. 

The sleeve prevents the card from moving inside the slab. When I shake a MNT slab, the card stays still, but when I shake a KSA slab, you can hear and feel the card moving.

KSA Vs. MNT Price Comparison

In some cases, it can be difficult to compare prices 1:1 since each service offers a slightly different pricing system. For example, KSA offers subscription levels with various bonuses applied per each level.

MNT’s pricing is much simpler, first choosing your turnaround time, then apply a discount based on how many cards you send.

The two companies offer very similar pricing. MNT has slightly cheaper prices when it comes to their premium 2 day service, but KSA is cheaper when submitting cards in bulk. 

Location And Services

Location

MNT is located in Ontario.

KSA is located in Ontario but also has a Vancouver office.

Services

This section is where KSA really has an advantage over MNT. While MNT only grades trading cards, KSA has a wide array of services they offer.

KSA will grade most trading cards, but also grade coins. Their coin grading system is very similar to cards, and they offer anything from a 10-day turnaround to 2 months. Their express service (10 days) for a single coin will cost $50.

KSA also sells NFTs, and offers its own online marketplace. Their marketplace is full of KSA-graded cards, coins, and other goodies.

KSA Vs. MNT Market Value

Lastly, we’re going to look at the resale value of each company’s product on eBay.

We’ve done an in-depth review of MNT grading before, having a look at dozens of sold listings on eBay, and comparing them to PSA sales. We found that MNT slabs often sell for approximately 50% of what an identical PSA slab would sell for. 

Using the same methods we found that KSA slabs sell for about 30-40% of what identical PSA slabs sell for. 

One of the reasons MNT sells for more is because of their Flawless 10 black labels. PSA does not differentiate a bad 10 from a good 10. Therefore, a MNT Flawless 10 (perfect in every way) can be listed at a premium and often sells for more than a PSA 10.

That being said, a Flawless 10 MNT grade is incredibly rare and hard to come by. 

Another caveat worth noting is that there are far more KSA slabs on the market than MNT. KSA has been grading cards for almost 20 years longer than MNT.

Conclusion

That’s our brief comparison of KSA vs. MNT grading services. At the end of the day, both companies are Canadian, and sending your cards to them is going to support a domestic grading service which is a great way to improve our card economy in Canada.

If you have any questions, don’t forget to reach out to either grading service.

MNT Website

KSA Website