Is Alien ED #555a worth grading?
Garbage Pail Kids · 1988 Garbage Pail Kids · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 26× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Alien ED #555a sells for $129 against $4.95 raw: a $124 spread, 26× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($22.00) 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)
- $4.95
- PSA 10
- $129
- PSA 9
- $22.00
- 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 | $129 | +$98.65 | +$73.65 | −$26.35 |
| PSA 9 | $22.00 | −$7.95 | −$32.95 | −$133 |
| PSA 8 | $20.23 | −$9.72 | −$34.72 | −$135 |
Net = sale price − $4.95 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% | $48.65 | −$6.30 |
| 50% | $75.30 | +$20.35 |
| 75% | $102 | +$47.00 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 31%. 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 | $167 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $129 | −$38.40 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $77.00 | −$90.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $77.00 | −$90.00 | 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 | $129 | $77.00 | $167 | $77.00 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $24.00 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $22.00 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $20.23 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1988 Garbage Pail Kids cards worth checking
Full set checklist →Grading Alien ED #555a — FAQ
Is Alien ED #555a worth grading?
A PSA 10 Alien ED #555a sells for $129 against $4.95 raw: a $124 spread, 26× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($22.00) 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 Alien ED #555a worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Alien ED #555a (1988 Garbage Pail Kids) sells for about $129 versus $4.95 for a raw near-mint copy — a 26× premium as of Aug 16, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Alien ED #555a?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $167, ahead of PSA 10 at $129. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Alien ED #555a 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 Alien ED #555a break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Alien ED #555a breaks even when it gems about 31% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $22.00).
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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