Definition
Encapsulation is the process of placing a graded item — most often a trading card or comic — into a sealed, tamper-evident plastic case. The case displays the grade, the service's label, a serial number, and the item itself. Encapsulation freezes the condition at the moment of grading and signals the grade to buyers without further inspection.
Why it matters
Encapsulated items trade in deeper markets, with clearer sold-listing data, and at premiums to comparable raw examples.
Example
A 1986 Fleer Michael Jordan rookie is graded PSA 9 and encapsulated. The slab now carries the grade, the serial number, and the date.