Should you grade Gengar #5?
Fossil · grading ROI analysis
Expected value is positive but modest. Worth grading if you have a clean copy in mint condition or are submitting in bulk; otherwise the marginal upside may not beat the holding period.
Ungraded
$110.91
PSA 10
$4050.55
Gem rate
0.9%
PSA pop
14,886
Estimates from public data, for informational purposes only — not financial or investment advice, and not a guarantee of any grade, price, or outcome. See methodology.
The math
Breakeven sale price (raw price + PSA fee)
$110.91 + $25 = $135.91
You need to sell the slabbed card for at least this much to break even.
Projected PSA 10 uplift
($4050.55 − $110.91 − $25) ÷ $110.91 × 100 = +3530%
If you grade this card AND it returns PSA 10, this is your gross return on grading.
Expected value (uplift × gem rate)
3530% × 0.9% = +30.7%
The real number. Adjusts for the fact that not every submission grades PSA 10.
Net PSA 10 proceeds after marketplace fees
eBay: $3506.05 · TCGplayer: $3632.07
After 13.25% eBay (or 10.25% TCGplayer) fee + per-order fee + ship. Subtract PSA grading fee ($25) + any PSA shipping for true profit. See methodology.
What this calculator doesn't show
- Shipping costs. PSA shipping (in + out) typically adds $5–$15 per submission.
- Selling fees. eBay takes ~13% of gross; TCGplayer ~10%. Subtract from PSA 10 price for net proceeds.
- Holding cost. 30–60 day PSA turnaround means your capital is tied up.
- Sub-grade outcomes. A PSA 9 might still beat ungraded price, but a PSA 8 often doesn't. We model only the binary PSA-10-or-bust outcome — be more conservative for borderline cards.
- Market volatility. PSA 10 prices can swing 20%+ on news cycles. Today's calculated uplift is a snapshot.
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Full Gengar #5 page →See methodology for how we source data and calculate ROI.