Is Penguin Soldier SDJ-022 worth grading?
Yu-Gi-Oh! · YuGiOh Starter Deck: Joey · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 116× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Penguin Soldier SDJ-022 sells for $125 against $1.08 raw: a $124 spread, 116× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($16.09) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $1.08
- PSA 10
- $125
- PSA 9
- $16.09
- Gem premium
- 116×
- As of
- Sep 27, 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 | $125 | +$99.39 | +$74.39 | −$25.61 |
| PSA 9 | $16.09 | −$9.99 | −$34.99 | −$135 |
| PSA 8 | $7.66 | −$18.42 | −$43.42 | −$143 |
Net = sale price − $1.08 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% | $43.44 | −$7.64 |
| 50% | $70.78 | +$19.70 |
| 75% | $98.12 | +$47.04 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 32%. 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 | $163 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $125 | −$37.53 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $75.00 | −$88.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $75.00 | −$88.00 | 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.
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Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other YuGiOh Starter Deck: Joey cards worth checking
Full set checklist →![Penguin Soldier [1st Edition] SDJ-022 YuGiOh Starter Deck: Joey card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/yLEAAeSwJY1qTw-z/s-l500.jpg)
![Scapegoat [1st Edition] SDJ-041 YuGiOh Starter Deck: Joey card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/oL0AAeSwxXhp6nF-/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Penguin Soldier SDJ-022 — FAQ
Is Penguin Soldier SDJ-022 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Penguin Soldier SDJ-022 sells for $125 against $1.08 raw: a $124 spread, 116× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($16.09) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
How much is a PSA 10 Penguin Soldier SDJ-022 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Penguin Soldier SDJ-022 (YuGiOh Starter Deck: Joey) sells for about $125 versus $1.08 for a raw near-mint copy — a 116× premium as of Sep 27, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Penguin Soldier SDJ-022?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $163, ahead of PSA 10 at $125. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Penguin Soldier SDJ-022 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 Penguin Soldier SDJ-022 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Penguin Soldier SDJ-022 breaks even when it gems about 32% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $16.09).
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