Is EARL Painting #178a worth grading?
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Strong grading candidate — 25× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 EARL Painting #178a sells for $42.57 against $1.69 raw: a $40.88 spread, 25× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($20.53) 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)
- $1.69
- PSA 10
- $42.57
- PSA 9
- $20.53
- Gem premium
- 25×
- 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 | $42.57 | +$15.88 | −$9.12 | −$109 |
| PSA 9 | $20.53 | −$6.16 | −$31.16 | −$131 |
| PSA 8 | $14.50 | −$12.19 | −$37.19 | −$137 |
Net = sale price − $1.69 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% | $26.04 | −$25.65 |
| 50% | $31.55 | −$20.14 |
| 75% | $37.06 | −$14.63 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
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 | $55.00 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $42.57 | −$12.43 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $26.00 | −$29.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $26.00 | −$29.00 | 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 | $42.57 | $26.00 | $55.00 | $26.00 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $23.00 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $20.53 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $14.50 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
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Full set checklist →Grading EARL Painting #178a — FAQ
Is EARL Painting #178a worth grading?
A PSA 10 EARL Painting #178a sells for $42.57 against $1.69 raw: a $40.88 spread, 25× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($20.53) 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 EARL Painting #178a worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 EARL Painting #178a (1986 Garbage Pail Kids) sells for about $42.57 versus $1.69 for a raw near-mint copy — a 25× premium as of Aug 16, 2026.
Which grading company is best for EARL Painting #178a?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $55.00, ahead of PSA 10 at $42.57. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does EARL Painting #178a 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.
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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