Is Iron Man #S-1 worth grading?
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Worth grading only if it gems
A CGC 10 Iron Man #S-1 brings $86.00 versus $31.00 raw — a $55.00 spread that covers an economy-tier ~$25 grading fee. A PSA 9 ($43.00) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming.
- Raw (NM)
- $31.00
- CGC 10
- $86.00
- PSA 9
- $43.00
- Gem premium
- 2.8×
- As of
- Aug 15, 2026
Break-even by outcome and fee
| If it comes back… | Sells for | Economy / bulk (~$25.00) | Standard (~$50.00) | Express (~$150) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gem — CGC 10 | $86.00 | +$30.00 | +$5.00 | −$95.00 |
| PSA 9 | $43.00 | −$13.00 | −$38.00 | −$138 |
Net = sale price − $31.00 raw value − fee. Fee tiers are illustrative; plug your grader's current price into the calculator below.
Expected value — how often does it need to gem?
| Chance it gems | Expected sale | Expected net (standard fee) |
|---|---|---|
| 25% | $53.75 | −$27.25 |
| 50% | $64.50 | −$16.50 |
| 75% | $75.25 | −$5.75 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 88%. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses — measure it before you decide.
Which grader pays the most — and what a 10 takes
All centering standards →| Grader | 10 sells for | vs best | Front centering for a 10 | Back |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CGC 10 | $86.00 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
Tolerances are each company's published centering standard for its top grade; surface, corners and edges must also be clean. Centering is the one you can measure yourself before you pay.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | CGC | Graded |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | $86.00 | — |
| 9.5 | — | $47.00 |
| 9 | — | $43.00 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Grading Iron Man #S-1 — FAQ
Is Iron Man #S-1 worth grading?
A CGC 10 Iron Man #S-1 brings $86.00 versus $31.00 raw — a $55.00 spread that covers an economy-tier ~$25 grading fee. A PSA 9 ($43.00) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming.
What centering does Iron Man #S-1 need for a CGC 10?
CGC publishes 55/45 front and 75/25 back centering as the tolerance for a 10 (Gem Mint). Off-center copies are capped below the top grade regardless of surface — measure yours before paying the fee.
What gem rate makes grading Iron Man #S-1 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Iron Man #S-1 breaks even when it gems about 88% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $43.00).
Is your Marvel card centered well enough to grade?
Centering makes or breaks a PSA 10. Scan any card with Midpoint to measure its exact centering, get a grade estimate, and see what your copy is actually worth.
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