Is Meltin' ELTON #158a worth grading?
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Strong grading candidate — 37× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Meltin' ELTON #158a sells for $64.99 against $1.74 raw: a $63.25 spread, 37× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($24.13) 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)
- $1.74
- PSA 10
- $64.99
- PSA 9
- $24.13
- Gem premium
- 37×
- 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 | $64.99 | +$38.25 | +$13.25 | −$86.75 |
| PSA 9 | $24.13 | −$2.61 | −$27.61 | −$128 |
| PSA 8 | $19.99 | −$6.75 | −$31.75 | −$132 |
Net = sale price − $1.74 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% | $34.34 | −$17.40 |
| 50% | $44.56 | −$7.18 |
| 75% | $54.77 | +$3.03 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 68%. 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 | $84.00 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $64.99 | −$19.01 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $39.00 | −$45.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $39.00 | −$45.00 | 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.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | PSA | CGC | BGS | SGC | Graded |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $64.99 | $39.00 | $84.00 | $39.00 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $27.00 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $24.13 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $19.99 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
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Other 1986 Garbage Pail Kids cards worth checking
Full set checklist →Grading Meltin' ELTON #158a — FAQ
Is Meltin' ELTON #158a worth grading?
A PSA 10 Meltin' ELTON #158a sells for $64.99 against $1.74 raw: a $63.25 spread, 37× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($24.13) 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 Meltin' ELTON #158a worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Meltin' ELTON #158a (1986 Garbage Pail Kids) sells for about $64.99 versus $1.74 for a raw near-mint copy — a 37× premium as of Aug 16, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Meltin' ELTON #158a?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $84.00, ahead of PSA 10 at $64.99. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Meltin' ELTON #158a 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 Meltin' ELTON #158a break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Meltin' ELTON #158a breaks even when it gems about 68% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $24.13).
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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