SlabbyPrep
Free calculator · Pokémon

Is grading Pokémon cards worth it?

Sometimes, and you can find out before you pay. It comes down to three numbers you can look up and one you can measure: what the card sells for raw, what it sells for at the grades it can reach, the fee at the company you'd send it to, and the centering. Enter them; the calculator gives the expected value after each company's fee and the chance of a 10 you'd need to break even.

What's different about Pokémon cards

  1. Modern cards mostly grade for the 10. On many cards printed since 2016, a 9 sells close to raw, so the decision rides almost entirely on the chance of the top grade. Enter the 9 price honestly, and measure the centering: PSA's 10 line is about 55/45, and a card outside it cannot be a PSA 10 no matter how clean it is.
  2. Vintage is a different bet. On WOTC-era cards a 9 often carries a real premium over raw and a 10 a multiple of the 9, so grading can pay even when the 10 is unlikely.
  3. The company changes the answer. Each company's 10 sells for a different price and costs a different fee: PSA's cheapest live tier is $59.99, CGC's bulk tier is $17 with a 25-card minimum, TAG starts at $22. Enter the 10 price for each company you'd consider; the calculator compares them.
  4. Same card, same parallel. Prices must be for the exact card: set, number, holo or reverse, first edition or unlimited. The links below the name box open eBay's sold listings for what you type.

The full method, with the grade distribution and the fee-tier logic, is on the general calculator page. Lines and fees are as published on the dates shown on the Standards and Fees pages.

The centering you typed is a guess. SlabbyPrep measures it from a photo to a hundredth of a millimetre, checks front and back against every company's line, and runs this same calculation on the real number. $3 a month, cancel anytime, runs in your browser and photos never leave your device.
Measure a card

Questions

Is grading modern Pokémon cards worth it?

Usually only when a 10 is likely and the 10 sells for several times the raw price. On many modern cards a 9 sells close to raw, so the whole bet rides on the chance of the top grade; measure the centering before you pay, and enter the 9 price honestly.

What is the break-even for grading a Pokémon card?

The chance of the top grade at which the expected sale price after grading equals the raw price plus the fee. The calculator prints it as "still worth it down to X%" for the best service, from the prices you enter and that company's current fee.

PSA or CGC for Pokémon cards?

There is no general answer. Each company's 10 sells for a different price and costs a different fee, and their centering lines differ (PSA about 55/45 for a 10; CGC 55/45 for Gem Mint 10 and 50/50 for Pristine). Enter the 10 price for each company you would consider and the calculator compares expected value after fees for your card.

Is a PSA 9 Pokémon card worth grading?

Only if the 9 price beats the raw price by more than the fee. For many modern cards it does not; for vintage cards a 9 often carries a real premium. The calculator shows the grade range the card can reach and prices each step.