Is Over-Ripe MELANIE #405a worth grading?
Garbage Pail Kids · 1987 Garbage Pail Kids · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Over-Ripe MELANIE #405a sells for $67.00 against $2.53 raw: a $64.47 spread, 26× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($39.00) clears the raw price after an economy-tier ~$25 fee, so a near-miss still comes out ahead. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $2.53
- PSA 10
- $67.00
- PSA 9
- $39.00
- Gem premium
- 26×
- 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 | $67.00 | +$39.47 | +$14.47 | −$85.53 |
| PSA 9 | $39.00 | +$11.47 | −$13.53 | −$114 |
| PSA 8 | $35.00 | +$7.47 | −$17.53 | −$118 |
Net = sale price − $2.53 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% | $46.00 | −$6.53 |
| 50% | $53.00 | +$0.47 |
| 75% | $60.00 | +$7.47 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 48%. 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 | $87.00 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $67.00 | −$20.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $40.00 | −$47.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $40.00 | −$47.00 | 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 | $67.00 | $40.00 | $87.00 | $40.00 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $43.00 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $39.00 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $35.00 |
Run your own numbers
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Other 1987 Garbage Pail Kids cards worth checking
Full set checklist →Grading Over-Ripe MELANIE #405a — FAQ
Is Over-Ripe MELANIE #405a worth grading?
A PSA 10 Over-Ripe MELANIE #405a sells for $67.00 against $2.53 raw: a $64.47 spread, 26× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($39.00) clears the raw price after an economy-tier ~$25 fee, so a near-miss still comes out ahead. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
How much is a PSA 10 Over-Ripe MELANIE #405a worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Over-Ripe MELANIE #405a (1987 Garbage Pail Kids) sells for about $67.00 versus $2.53 for a raw near-mint copy — a 26× premium as of Aug 16, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Over-Ripe MELANIE #405a?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $87.00, ahead of PSA 10 at $67.00. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Over-Ripe MELANIE #405a 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 Over-Ripe MELANIE #405a break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Over-Ripe MELANIE #405a breaks even when it gems about 48% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $39.00).
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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