Grading pays when what the card is expected to sell for after grading, minus the fee, beats what it sells for raw. Here is that sum with made-up prices and today’s real fees, and what decides each part of it.
Recent sales for the card raw, as a 9 and as a 10 at each company: a 10 from one company can sell for a very different price than a 10 from another. In this example (made-up prices): $20 raw, $45 as a PSA 9, $150 as a PSA 10.
Centering sets the ceiling: a card outside a company’s 10 line is unlikely to get a 10 there, though graders keep some discretion (every company’s lines). Corners, edges and surface can only hold or lower it. Say this card measures inside PSA’s 10 line and looks clean: call it an even chance of a 10, otherwise a 9.
50% × $150 + 50% × $45 = $97.50
The cheapest tier whose value cap covers the card: at PSA today that is Standard at $59.99 for cards up to $1,000 (which PSA tier a card needs). Other companies: CGC from $17 (min 25 cards) · ACE from ~$23.92 (£18) · TAG from $29.95 (min 10 cards) · SGC from $50 · PSA from $59.99 · BGS from $79.95.
$97.50 − $59.99 = $37.51 graded, against $20 raw
Worth it, by $17.51 before shipping and selling fees. The same card is still worth grading down to about a 34% chance of the 10; below that, keep it raw.
When the expected sale price after grading, minus the grading fee, beats what the card sells for raw. Expected means weighted by your chances of each grade: a card that sells for $20 raw, $45 as a 9 and $150 as a 10 (made-up prices), with an even chance of each, is expected to sell for $97.50 graded; after PSA’s $59.99 Standard fee that is $37.51, against $20 raw.
On the dates checked, for a single card: CGC Economy $20 (cards up to $1,000), ACE Basic ~$23.92 (£18) and SGC Standard (≤$1,500) $50 (cards up to $1,500). With a minimum order: CGC Bulk $17 (min 25 cards, cards up to $500) and TAG Value $29.95 (min 10 cards). Fees are per card, before shipping. A card has to gain at least its fee from the slab to break even.
Start with centering, the one criterion you can measure: if the card misses a company’s 10 line, its chance of a 10 there is small whatever the corners look like (graders keep some discretion; PSA allows a little leeway on strong eye appeal). Then corners, edges and surface, which can only hold or lower the grade. SlabbyPrep measures the centering and lets you rate the rest.
Only the ones where the numbers above work after the fee and shipping. Many cards are worth more raw than graded once the fee is paid; some are worth far more graded. Telling them apart before you pay is the point.
How to check centering · cheapest grader right now · how long grading takes · how the verdict is worked out · Pokémon · Yu-Gi-Oh! · sports cards