Is Hairy GARY #55a worth grading?
Garbage Pail Kids · 1985 Garbage Pail Kids · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Hairy GARY #55a sells for $309 against $3.79 raw: a $305 spread, 81× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($47.00) 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)
- $3.79
- PSA 10
- $309
- PSA 9
- $47.00
- Gem premium
- 81×
- 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 | $309 | +$280 | +$255 | +$155 |
| PSA 9 | $47.00 | +$18.21 | −$6.79 | −$107 |
| PSA 8 | $28.52 | −$0.27 | −$25.27 | −$125 |
Net = sale price − $3.79 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% | $112 | +$58.61 |
| 50% | $178 | +$124 |
| 75% | $243 | +$189 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 3%. 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 | $401 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $309 | −$92.41 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $185 | −$216 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $185 | −$216 | 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 | $309 | $185 | $401 | $185 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $52.00 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $47.00 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $28.52 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $23.00 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
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Other 1985 Garbage Pail Kids cards worth checking
Full set checklist →Grading Hairy GARY #55a — FAQ
Is Hairy GARY #55a worth grading?
A PSA 10 Hairy GARY #55a sells for $309 against $3.79 raw: a $305 spread, 81× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($47.00) 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 Hairy GARY #55a worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Hairy GARY #55a (1985 Garbage Pail Kids) sells for about $309 versus $3.79 for a raw near-mint copy — a 81× premium as of Aug 16, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Hairy GARY #55a?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $401, ahead of PSA 10 at $309. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Hairy GARY #55a 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 Hairy GARY #55a break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Hairy GARY #55a breaks even when it gems about 3% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $47.00).
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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