Is Lunchpail GAIL #402a worth grading?
Garbage Pail Kids · 1987 Garbage Pail Kids · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 83× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Lunchpail GAIL #402a sells for $251 against $3.04 raw: a $248 spread, 83× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($26.00) 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)
- $3.04
- PSA 10
- $251
- PSA 9
- $26.00
- Gem premium
- 83×
- 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 | $251 | +$223 | +$198 | +$98.33 |
| PSA 9 | $26.00 | −$2.04 | −$27.04 | −$127 |
| PSA 8 | $17.94 | −$10.10 | −$35.10 | −$135 |
Net = sale price − $3.04 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% | $82.34 | +$29.30 |
| 50% | $139 | +$85.65 |
| 75% | $195 | +$142 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 12%. 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 | $327 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $251 | −$75.63 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $151 | −$176 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $151 | −$176 | 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 | $251 | $151 | $327 | $151 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $29.00 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $26.00 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $17.94 |
Run your own numbers
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Other 1987 Garbage Pail Kids cards worth checking
Full set checklist →Grading Lunchpail GAIL #402a — FAQ
Is Lunchpail GAIL #402a worth grading?
A PSA 10 Lunchpail GAIL #402a sells for $251 against $3.04 raw: a $248 spread, 83× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($26.00) 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 Lunchpail GAIL #402a worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Lunchpail GAIL #402a (1987 Garbage Pail Kids) sells for about $251 versus $3.04 for a raw near-mint copy — a 83× premium as of Aug 16, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Lunchpail GAIL #402a?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $327, ahead of PSA 10 at $251. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Lunchpail GAIL #402a 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 Lunchpail GAIL #402a break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Lunchpail GAIL #402a breaks even when it gems about 12% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $26.00).
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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