🐢 About SquirtleBeach

Built by collectors, for collectors. The beach-meets-Pokémon shop that takes your collection seriously.

🌊 Our Story

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Founded by a lifelong Pokémon collector

Collecting since 1999 · Specializing in graded vintage and modern Pokémon cards

SquirtleBeach started the way most great things do — from pure love of the hobby. Our founder pulled their first Charizard from a booster pack in 1999, and that was it. Twenty-five years later, that love never went away.

After years of buying, selling, and building a personal collection of graded cards — learning the nuances of PSA pop reports, hunting for Shadowless prints, and obsessing over BGS sub-grades — SquirtleBeach was born as a place to share the best finds with the community.

We're not a warehouse reseller. We're not a dropship operation. Every card in our shop has been personally sourced, inspected, and verified. We know the difference between a Base Set 1st Edition and an Unlimited print. We know why a PSA 9 Charizard can be worth more than a PSA 10 of a different card. That knowledge is baked into everything we do.

The name? Squirtle is our ride-or-die starter Pokémon 💙 — loyal, cool under pressure, and always ready for an adventure. The beach aesthetic is just how collecting feels when you're doing it right: relaxed, sun-soaked, and surrounded by things you love.

🏆 Understanding Graded Cards

Professional grading protects your investment, provides a standardized condition assessment, and makes buying/selling more transparent. Here's a breakdown of the three major graders we work with:

PSA

Professional Sports Authenticator
  • Founded 1991, most recognized brand
  • Grades 1–10 (whole numbers)
  • PSA 10 = Gem Mint (the benchmark)
  • Largest population report (PSA Pop)
  • Highest resale liquidity
  • Red/blue slabs, tamper-evident

BGS

Beckett Grading Services
  • Founded 1999, most detailed grading
  • 4 sub-grades: Centering, Corners, Edges, Surface
  • BGS 9.5 = Gem Mint (most common ceiling)
  • BGS 10 Black Label = all 10s (holy grail)
  • Preferred by condition perfectionists
  • Premium packaging, detailed inner label

CGC

Certified Guaranty Company
  • Entered Pokémon grading 2020
  • Originally famous for comics
  • Half-point grades (8.5, 9.5 etc.)
  • Known for secure, tamper-evident slabs
  • Growing fast, competitive turnaround
  • Strong alternative to PSA for modern cards

Grade Scale Reference: PSA 10 = Gem Mint · PSA 9 = Mint · PSA 8 = Near Mint-Mint · PSA 7 = Near Mint · PSA 6 = Excellent-Mint. Condition drops significantly for each point below 8. A PSA 10 can be 2–5x the value of a PSA 9 for the same card.

For vintage cards (Base Set, Jungle, Fossil, Gym Heroes, Neo), grading is essential. Raw cards are hard to price accurately and lack third-party verification. For investment-grade pieces, always buy slabbed.

✅ Our Authenticity Guarantee

Every single card at SquirtleBeach is professionally graded by PSA, BGS, or CGC. We never sell raw cards, we never sell fakes, and we never misrepresent grades. Here's exactly what we do to protect you:

  • Slab serial number verification — Every sale includes the grading company's serial number. We encourage buyers to verify on PSA's website, BGS's registry, or CGC's lookup tool before finalizing purchase.
  • No tampered slabs — We inspect every slab for cracks, re-sealing, or any sign of tampering. Compromised slabs are not sold.
  • Accurate grading information — We list the exact grade shown on the slab, including sub-grades for BGS. No rounding up, no creative descriptions.
  • Provenance documented — For ultra-rare cards (Pikachu Illustrator, Tropical Mega Battle, etc.), we provide full documentation of acquisition history where available.
  • 30-day return window — If a card is misrepresented in any way, return it within 30 days for a full refund. No questions asked. Slab must be unaltered.

📦 Shipping & Handling

Graded card slabs need special care. A cracked slab can damage the card inside and drastically reduce value. Here's how we pack every order:

🫧 Bubble Wrap First

Every slab is wrapped in two layers of bubble wrap, secured with tape. The slab itself cannot shift inside the wrap.

📦 Double-Box Method

Wrapped slab goes into a snug inner box, padded with foam. That box goes inside a larger outer box with additional padding. Industry-standard protection.

🔒 Signature Confirmation

All orders over $500 require adult signature on delivery. Cards over $2,000 use UPS/FedEx with explicit handling instructions.

🛡️ Full Insurance

Every shipment is insured for full declared value. In the unlikely event of damage in transit, you are made whole — no exceptions.

🚀 Fast Processing

Orders ship within 1–2 business days. Tracking provided immediately. Domestic US shipping: 2–5 business days via USPS Priority or UPS.

🌍 International Shipping

We ship worldwide. International buyers responsible for customs/import fees. Additional insurance and signature required for all international orders.

Free shipping on all domestic orders over $500. Flat $12 shipping on orders under $500.

🔄 Return Policy

We offer a 30-day return window on all purchases. To be eligible for a return, the slab must be in the exact condition it was shipped — no cracks, no alterations, original packaging preferred.

To initiate a return, email hello@squirtlebeach.com with your order number and reason. We'll send a prepaid return label for any return due to our error (misrepresentation, wrong item, damage in transit). Buyer-preference returns use buyer-paid return shipping.

Refunds are processed within 3 business days of receiving the returned slab.

💰 We Buy Cards Too!

Have graded Pokémon cards you're ready to part with? We're always looking to expand our inventory with high-quality slabs. We pay fair market rates — no low-balling, no games.

Get a Quote →

Whether you're downsizing your collection, upgrading to higher grades, or just found some old slabs in a box — we want to hear from you.

What we buy:

  • PSA, BGS, and CGC graded cards — any grade, any set
  • Vintage Base Set, Jungle, Fossil, Team Rocket, Gym series
  • Neo series (Lugia, Ho-Oh, Gold Stars)
  • Modern hits — Alt Arts, Illustration Rares, Secret Rares
  • Tournament promos and ultra-rare one-of-a-kind pieces
  • Collections and lots (we'll buy multiple cards at once)

Our buying process: Submit the card details (grader, grade, card name, set) via the form below. We'll respond with a fair cash offer within 24 hours based on current market data from eBay sold listings, PSA Pop Report scarcity, and recent auction results. No obligation to accept.

📩 Get in Touch

Questions about a card? Want to sell? Have a custom request? We read every message and respond within 24 hours.