Venusaur #18 from Base Set 2

Should you grade Venusaur #18?

Base Set 2 · grading ROI analysis

Verdict CONSIDER

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

$65.86

PSA 10

$2536.22

Gem rate

1.1%

PSA pop

11,536

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)

$65.86 + $25 = $90.86

You need to sell the slabbed card for at least this much to break even.

Projected PSA 10 uplift

($2536.22 − $65.86 − $25) ÷ $65.86 × 100 = +3713%

If you grade this card AND it returns PSA 10, this is your gross return on grading.

Expected value (uplift × gem rate)

3713% × 1.1% = +42.7%

The real number. Adjusts for the fact that not every submission grades PSA 10.

Net PSA 10 proceeds after marketplace fees

eBay: $2192.37 · TCGplayer: $2272.96

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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See methodology for how we source data and calculate ROI.