Is Dirty HARRY #52a worth grading?
Garbage Pail Kids · 1985 Garbage Pail Kids · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Dirty HARRY #52a sells for $168 against $4.62 raw: a $164 spread, 36× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($40.99) 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)
- $4.62
- PSA 10
- $168
- PSA 9
- $40.99
- Gem premium
- 36×
- As of
- Aug 16, 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 | $168 | +$139 | +$114 | +$13.73 |
| PSA 9 | $40.99 | +$11.37 | −$13.63 | −$114 |
| PSA 8 | $22.24 | −$7.38 | −$32.38 | −$132 |
Net = sale price − $4.62 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% | $72.83 | +$18.21 |
| 50% | $105 | +$50.05 |
| 75% | $137 | +$81.89 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 11%. 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 | $219 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $168 | −$50.65 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $101 | −$118 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $101 | −$118 | 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 | $168 | $101 | $219 | $101 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $45.00 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $40.99 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $22.24 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $15.90 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
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Other 1985 Garbage Pail Kids cards worth checking
Full set checklist →Grading Dirty HARRY #52a — FAQ
Is Dirty HARRY #52a worth grading?
A PSA 10 Dirty HARRY #52a sells for $168 against $4.62 raw: a $164 spread, 36× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($40.99) 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 Dirty HARRY #52a worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Dirty HARRY #52a (1985 Garbage Pail Kids) sells for about $168 versus $4.62 for a raw near-mint copy — a 36× premium as of Aug 16, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Dirty HARRY #52a?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $219, ahead of PSA 10 at $168. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Dirty HARRY #52a 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 Dirty HARRY #52a break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Dirty HARRY #52a breaks even when it gems about 11% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $40.99).
Is your Garbage Pail Kids 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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