Is JACK O. Lantern #153a worth grading?
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Strong grading candidate — 38× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 JACK O. Lantern #153a sells for $84.25 against $2.19 raw: a $82.06 spread, 38× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($21.41) 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)
- $2.19
- PSA 10
- $84.25
- PSA 9
- $21.41
- Gem premium
- 38×
- 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 | $84.25 | +$57.06 | +$32.06 | −$67.94 |
| PSA 9 | $21.41 | −$5.78 | −$30.78 | −$131 |
| PSA 8 | $20.02 | −$7.17 | −$32.17 | −$132 |
Net = sale price − $2.19 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% | $37.12 | −$15.07 |
| 50% | $52.83 | +$0.64 |
| 75% | $68.54 | +$16.35 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 49%. 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 | $110 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $84.25 | −$25.75 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $51.00 | −$59.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $18.05 | −$91.95 | 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 JACK O. Lantern #153a — FAQ
Is JACK O. Lantern #153a worth grading?
A PSA 10 JACK O. Lantern #153a sells for $84.25 against $2.19 raw: a $82.06 spread, 38× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($21.41) 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 JACK O. Lantern #153a worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 JACK O. Lantern #153a (1986 Garbage Pail Kids) sells for about $84.25 versus $2.19 for a raw near-mint copy — a 38× premium as of Oct 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for JACK O. Lantern #153a?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $110, ahead of PSA 10 at $84.25. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does JACK O. Lantern #153a 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 JACK O. Lantern #153a break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting JACK O. Lantern #153a breaks even when it gems about 49% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $21.41).
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