Is Puzzled PAUL #149a worth grading?
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Strong grading candidate — 15× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Puzzled PAUL #149a sells for $116 against $7.78 raw: a $108 spread, 15× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($22.79) 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)
- $7.78
- PSA 10
- $116
- PSA 9
- $22.79
- Gem premium
- 15×
- As of
- Oct 4, 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 | $116 | +$82.75 | +$57.75 | −$42.25 |
| PSA 9 | $22.79 | −$9.99 | −$34.99 | −$135 |
| PSA 8 | $13.30 | −$19.48 | −$44.48 | −$144 |
Net = sale price − $7.78 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% | $45.98 | −$11.80 |
| 50% | $69.16 | +$11.38 |
| 75% | $92.35 | +$34.57 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 38%. 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 | $150 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $116 | −$34.47 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $69.00 | −$81.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $60.00 | −$90.00 | 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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Grading Puzzled PAUL #149a — FAQ
Is Puzzled PAUL #149a worth grading?
A PSA 10 Puzzled PAUL #149a sells for $116 against $7.78 raw: a $108 spread, 15× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($22.79) 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 Puzzled PAUL #149a worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Puzzled PAUL #149a (1986 Garbage Pail Kids) sells for about $116 versus $7.78 for a raw near-mint copy — a 15× premium as of Oct 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Puzzled PAUL #149a?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $150, ahead of PSA 10 at $116. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Puzzled PAUL #149a 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 Puzzled PAUL #149a break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Puzzled PAUL #149a breaks even when it gems about 38% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $22.79).
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