Is your card worth grading?
Compare the expected proceeds from grading with selling the card raw. Use your own prices and current service fees, all in one currency.
Use one currency throughout. Enter the current fee quoted by your chosen grader, including any likely upcharge. Selling fees apply to both the raw and graded alternatives.
Your comparison
Grading has a positive expected return
- Expected graded sale value
- 112.00
- After selling and grading costs
- 65.80
- Raw proceeds after selling fees
- 45.00
- Expected advantage from grading
- 20.80
- Break-even graded sale value
- 88.89
- Lowest entered grade that breaks even
- 9
This compares the scenarios you entered. It does not predict your grade or guarantee a sale price.
How the comparison works
The expected graded value is the sum of each possible sale value multiplied by its probability. We deduct percentage selling fees and grading, shipping and insurance costs. We compare that result with the raw sale value after the same percentage fee. Your purchase price is not deducted again: the raw card is the asset you could sell today.
The break-even sale value is raw value + grading and shipping costs ÷ (1 − selling fee). The break-even grade is the lowest of your entered grades whose sale value reaches that amount. The calculator does not infer prices or grades you have not entered.
Three worked examples
- Raw value 50, grading 25, shipping 10, selling fee 10%. Grades 8, 9 and 10 sell for 60, 100 and 200 with probabilities 20%, 60% and 20%. Expected sale value is 112; net graded proceeds are 65.80 versus 45 raw, a 20.80 advantage. Break-even sale value is 88.89; grade 9 is the lowest entered grade that covers it.
- Raw value 100, grading 30, shipping 10, selling fee 0%. A certain grade 9 sells for 120. Net graded proceeds are 80 versus 100 raw, so grading is behind by 20. The break-even sale value is 140.
- Raw value 100, grading 30, shipping 10, selling fee 20%. A certain grade 9 sells for 150. Both options net 80, so they break even.
Use completed comparable sales, not just optimistic asking prices. Include return postage, insurance and likely service upcharges. Sentimental value, protection, turnaround time and the possibility of an ungradable card may affect your decision beyond this arithmetic.
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