Put in what the card sells for raw and graded, and how likely a 10 is. You get what PSA and CGC would earn you after fees, compared with selling it raw today.
How the math works
For each grader we take the expected sale: the PSA 10 price times your chance of a 10, plus the PSA 9 price times the rest. Then we subtract the fee for the cheapest tier that takes a card of that value, $22 for insured shipping, and the raw price you give up by not selling it today.
What's left is the net. Above zero, grading earns more than selling raw. Below zero, you pay for the slab.
Where to find the prices
Raw: the TCGplayer market price, or Cardmarket in Europe.
Graded: sold listings on eBay for the same card in a PSA 10 and PSA 9 slab. Use sold prices, not asking prices.
Or look up the card, or photograph it and we'll fill everything in, including the chance of a 10 from its condition.
QQuestionsGrading calculator
Questions.
When the expected sale price of the slab beats the raw price by more than the fee and shipping. We only call it worth grading if it comes out at least $10 ahead, since grading takes months and can go wrong.
For a fresh pack pull with clean edges and good centering, 30 to 50% is realistic for modern cards. Whitening, off-center borders or print lines bring it down fast. If you aren’t sure, check the centering first.
CGC slabs of the same grade usually sell for less than PSA. Without real CGC sales for your card, we price them at 70% of PSA.
That’s the main risk. The calculator weighs the 10 and the 9 by your chance of a 10. If the 9 alone loses money, a card needs a high chance of a 10 to be worth sending.