Is BARB Wire #394a worth grading?
Garbage Pail Kids · 1987 Garbage Pail Kids · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 78× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 BARB Wire #394a sells for $112 against $1.44 raw: a $110 spread, 78× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($10.00) 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)
- $1.44
- PSA 10
- $112
- PSA 9
- $10.00
- Gem premium
- 78×
- 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 | $112 | +$85.43 | +$60.43 | −$39.57 |
| PSA 9 | $10.00 | −$16.44 | −$41.44 | −$141 |
| PSA 8 | $8.75 | −$17.69 | −$42.69 | −$143 |
Net = sale price − $1.44 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% | $35.47 | −$15.97 |
| 50% | $60.94 | +$9.50 |
| 75% | $86.40 | +$34.96 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 41%. 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 | $145 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $112 | −$33.13 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $67.00 | −$78.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $67.00 | −$78.00 | 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 →Swipe the table for the other grading companies →
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1987 Garbage Pail Kids cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading BARB Wire #394a — FAQ
Is BARB Wire #394a worth grading?
A PSA 10 BARB Wire #394a sells for $112 against $1.44 raw: a $110 spread, 78× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($10.00) 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 BARB Wire #394a worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 BARB Wire #394a (1987 Garbage Pail Kids) sells for about $112 versus $1.44 for a raw near-mint copy — a 78× premium as of Oct 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for BARB Wire #394a?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $145, ahead of PSA 10 at $112. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does BARB Wire #394a 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 BARB Wire #394a break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting BARB Wire #394a breaks even when it gems about 41% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $10.00).
Best on iPhone & Android
Check your Garbage Pail Kids card in the Midpoint app
Scan with your camera to measure centering to the millimeter, get an AI grade with corner and edge close-ups, see what your copy is worth, and track it in your portfolio. Free to start.
