Is Black Skull Dragon MRD-018 worth grading?
Yu-Gi-Oh! · YuGiOh Metal Raiders · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Black Skull Dragon MRD-018 sells for $598 against $25.35 raw: a $572 spread, 24× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($70.00) clears the raw price after an economy-tier ~$25 fee, so a near-miss still comes out ahead. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $25.35
- PSA 10
- $598
- PSA 9
- $70.00
- Gem premium
- 24×
- As of
- Aug 9, 2026
Break-even by outcome and fee
| If it comes back… | Sells for | Economy / bulk (~$25.00) | Standard (~$50.00) | Express (~$150) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gem — PSA 10 | $598 | +$547 | +$522 | +$422 |
| PSA 9 | $70.00 | +$19.65 | −$5.35 | −$105 |
| PSA 8 | $56.81 | +$6.46 | −$18.54 | −$119 |
Net = sale price − $25.35 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% | $202 | +$127 |
| 50% | $334 | +$258 |
| 75% | $466 | +$390 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 1%. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BGS 10 | $777 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $598 | −$180 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $359 | −$418 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $359 | −$418 | 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 | PSA | CGC | BGS | SGC | Graded |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $598 | $359 | $777 | $359 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $77.00 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $70.00 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $56.81 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $45.00 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other YuGiOh Metal Raiders cards worth checking
Full set checklist →![Time Wizard [1st Edition] MRD-E065 YuGiOh Metal Raiders card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/4AQAAeSwtxVqYqyg/s-l500.jpg)
![Barrel Dragon [1st Edition] MRD-E126 YuGiOh Metal Raiders card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/OyoAAeSwYexqVDMt/s-l500.jpg)
![Change of Heart [1st Edition] MRD-E060 YuGiOh Metal Raiders card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/HQwAAeSwBP9qJfM7/s-l500.jpg)
![Solemn Judgment [1st Edition] MRD-E127 YuGiOh Metal Raiders card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/xDkAAeSw6gNo2foT/s-l500.jpg)
![Gate Guardian [1st Edition] MRD-E000 YuGiOh Metal Raiders card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/0lwAAeSwTy5qUqUO/s-l500.jpg)
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Grading Black Skull Dragon MRD-018 — FAQ
Is Black Skull Dragon MRD-018 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Black Skull Dragon MRD-018 sells for $598 against $25.35 raw: a $572 spread, 24× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($70.00) clears the raw price after an economy-tier ~$25 fee, so a near-miss still comes out ahead. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
How much is a PSA 10 Black Skull Dragon MRD-018 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Black Skull Dragon MRD-018 (YuGiOh Metal Raiders) sells for about $598 versus $25.35 for a raw near-mint copy — a 24× premium as of Aug 9, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Black Skull Dragon MRD-018?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $777, ahead of PSA 10 at $598. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Black Skull Dragon MRD-018 need for a BGS 10?
BGS publishes 55/45 front and 70/30 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 Black Skull Dragon MRD-018 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Black Skull Dragon MRD-018 breaks even when it gems about 1% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $70.00).
Is your Yu-Gi-Oh! 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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