Search

Is it worth grading a card?

Updated: 2026-10-15

Grading a card can multiply its value… or lose you money. Whether it pays off depends on two things: how much more your card is worth graded than raw, and what grade your copy will really get.

What grading costs

On top of the grading company's fee (PSA, BGS, CGC…), which depends on the service level and the value you declare, add:

• Insured shipping both ways.
• Customs or import fees if you ship across borders.
• Waiting time: weeks or months in which you can't sell the card.

Check the current fees on each company's official website before you send anything: they change often.

The math you should do

The classic mistake is comparing the raw price with a PSA 10. Nobody guarantees you a 10. An honest calculation spreads the odds:

1. Work out your copy's most likely grade (see what PSA grade your card would get), plus one grade above and one below.
2. Look up what the card sells for at each of those grades.
3. Take a weighted average: 60% the most likely grade, 20% the one above and 20% the one below. That is your expected sale.
4. Subtract the raw value and all the costs. If there is money left, it pays off.

Example (made-up numbers to illustrate): a card is worth $45 raw, $80 in PSA 8, $125 in PSA 9 and $340 in PSA 10. If a 9 is most likely: expected sale = 0.6 × 125 + 0.2 × 340 + 0.2 × 80 = $159. Minus the $45 it's already worth raw, that leaves $114 to pay for grading and shipping. If an 8 were most likely, the expected sale would drop to 0.6 × 80 + 0.2 × 125 + 0.2 × 45 = $82: after costs, it probably isn't worth it.

When it usually pays off (and when it doesn't)

• Yes: cards with a big jump between raw and PSA 9–10, and a copy that really is flawless (centered, no whitening on the corners, clean surface).
• Yes: expensive vintage cards, even at a 7 or 8: the slab authenticates and protects the card, and buyers pay for that.
• No: cheap cards where the fee eats the whole value.
• Careful: modern cards with thousands of PSA 10 copies. The multiplier is small, and a 9 can be worth less than the raw card plus the cost.

In the most expensive cards ranking you'll see which cards gain the most from grading, and every price page shows the price ladder by PSA grade.

Do it for your card in a minute

CardFolio's AI analysis looks at your photos, estimates the PSA grade (with centering measured on the front and back, plus corners, edges and surface), looks up what the card is worth at each grade and does this same math for you: it tells you whether grading pays off, is borderline, or whether you're better off selling raw. CardFolio doesn't grade cards or send them to any company: it helps you decide before you pay.

Option	Price	What's included
No plan	€1.49	one analysis, no subscription
CardFolio Pro	€3.99/month	10 AI analyses a month
CardFolio Max	€9.99/month	50 AI analyses a month
CardFolio Élite	€19.99/month	up to 150 AI analyses a month

Your first analysis is free when you sign up. Prices in euros, VAT included. Cancel your plan anytime.

More guides