Considering sending cards out for grading
 

Maybe it's just been a long day, but what does PSA mean by "declared value" and what does SGC mean by "any card valued at $250 or less"? Who determines the price of the card?

The submitter does. It is generally for insurance purposes and for determining pricing tier.
So you can't submit a 52 Toops Mantle under the $100 tier.
I've submitted some cards and have never gotten a card bumped up to the next pricing tier so it's not a hard and fast rule.
Does that make sense?

That makes perfect sense. What about, for instance, that beat up '52 Mantle from the other thread? Some have postulated that it might fetch 2Gs if even graded in the worst shape PSA/SGC offer, but it could sell for considerably less. How could they possibly determine the price? Like, for instance, PSA has express for any card between $500 and $1999 and super express for any card between $2000 and $4999. I imagine if you listed it at express, based on what you said, they wouldn't upgrade you on the fees? LOL, not that I have a card anywhere close to that price; I'm just wondering.

Yes, you are supposed to list what the card is worth Raw in that condition. If, in the case you send in a Mantle under a $1999 service level and it scores a grade making it worth $8K, they may contact you and let you know they're upgrading the service level to help pay for return shipping. And you will say "Thank you kindly, ma'am."
I've heard of them doing it to a guy who sent in an 87 Fleer Jordan which scored a 10.

Does the value we assign affect the grade they give it? If i have a probable PSA 2 card worth $600 but put the assigned value at $400, do they grade it a 1 - 1.5 or will it get its 2 regardless?

They say the declared value has nothing to do with grading. But if anything happens to the card while it's in their hands, or return shipping, the max you can be compensated is your declared value.

Ooooh, and that's why the do it, or at least that's why you would want to be upfront about what the card is worth because if it does get damaged you wanna make sure you get back as much as you can.

Only if you're wearing a tin foil hat watching the latest X-Files miniseries when you're packaging your shipment.

I've heard in some cases, with very prominent cards if they do achieve a high grade, the submitter is notified and the declared value is pushed up.

That being said, they can't know every intricacy of each set, low pop commons, sp's etc. It is mainly with the high powered star cards that hit PSA 8 or higher. Again only what I've heard at the PSA booth so it's conjecture at best!

I do this regularly so the answer is maybe?