Opening Cards in Minutes: Upper Deck’s e-Pack Adds Instant Grading from The Authority

A faster way to know what you just pulled — and to sell it

Upper Deck has rolled out a change to its digital e-Pack experience that will let some collectors get a grade for a card almost immediately after they open it. Instead of waiting days or weeks for a third-party grading service to inspect a card, users can opt for a near-instant grading step powered by The Authority as part of their e-Pack flow.

The practical effect is simple: a collector can open a pack, see a card they like, get a grade and then list the card for sale much sooner than before. For people who buy packs hoping to flip high-value pulls quickly, that speed matters. For casual collectors, it changes the feel of opening a pack — the mystery now comes with an answer almost right away.

How the instant grading step actually works

The new process threads The Authority into Upper Deck’s existing digital pack system. When you open an e-Pack and choose a card eligible for instant grading, you will see an option to submit it for grading without leaving the platform. The card is evaluated by The Authority’s systems and a grade is returned as a digital certificate attached to the card.

The grading is designed for digital items, so it doesn’t require shipping a physical card. That eliminates weeks of transit and handling. Instead, the review is automated and fast enough to be useful to someone ready to list a card or show it off right away.

That speed comes with trade-offs. Instant grading is aimed at verifying digital condition and authenticity quickly. It may not replace the more meticulous, human-led inspections that long-time collectors prefer for very high-value physical cards. The companies position the service as a way to streamline the digital market while still offering traditional routes for serious grading needs.

What collectors will notice when they open, grade and list

For the typical user, the new flow will feel like one smoother experience rather than a string of separate steps. Open a pack, tap to grade, see your grade pop up, then choose to keep or list the card. That simplicity lowers the friction for selling.

Speed makes short-term trades easier. A pull that might once have sat in a digital wallet until after a slow grading process can now appear in a marketplace within minutes. That raises the odds that a lucky pull can be sold quickly — sometimes to someone who wants to flip it, sometimes to a buyer who pays a premium for instant verification.

On the other hand, collectors who value ceremony — physical inspection, boxed submission, long-form grading reports — will still have options. The instant grade is a convenience more than a replacement. It will appeal most to users who already live in the digital pack ecosystem and like fast transactions.

How this could nudge the resale market and demand for packs

Putting fast grades into the mix changes incentives. More instant verification should increase liquidity: cards move faster, listings appear sooner, and price discovery happens more quickly. That can help sellers because it shortens the time between purchase and sale.

Faster turnover may also encourage more speculative buying. If a high-value pull can be graded and sold almost immediately, some buyers will treat packs as a way to try to score quick gains. That can raise demand for packs in the short term, but it also increases volatility in prices for particular cards.

There are risks for collectors who prefer stability. When verification becomes faster and easier, pricing can shift more quickly and become more reactive to short-term trends. The instant grade may also be seen as less authoritative than long-form grading for very rare items, which could create a two-tier market where instant-graded items trade separately from traditionally graded ones.

Who’s behind this move and why it matters for the hobby

Upper Deck, long known for making physical and digital sports cards, is the platform where e-Packs live. The Authority is the grading partner that provides the quick digital verdict. A third company, Dynamics Inc., appears to be involved in the platform or technology that ties the systems together.

The shift is part of a wider push to make collecting more immediate and platform-native. Digital-first services want to reduce the gap between discovery and proof of value. That strategy suits a younger, tech-savvy collector base that expects fast results and in-app tools.

At the same time, the move keeps traditional collectors and high-end markets intact. Companies often present instant grading as an additional pathway rather than a wholesale replacement for established grading houses and physical authentication services.

When you can try it and what it will cost

The new option is available now for eligible e-Packs and selected cards. Expect the feature to roll out in stages — not every card or pack will be able to use instant grading right away. The companies say fees will apply for grading, and there will be specific rules about which cards qualify for the instant process.

If you’re curious, the simplest way to see how it works is to open an e-Pack on the platform and look for the instant grading option when a qualifying card appears. For collectors who enjoy quick results, the change will make the experience feel more like a single, polished product: open, know, and then decide what to do next.

For the broader hobby, this is another step toward treating digital collectibles with the same systems that underlie physical markets — just much faster.

Sources

• prnewswire.com