Is Deserting DONALD #38 worth grading?
Garbage Pail Kids · Garbage Pail Kids Trumpocracy · full price guide →
Grading rarely pays for this card
Grade 9.5 copies of Deserting DONALD #38 sell for $160, only $10.00 above the $150 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($145) sells for less than raw, so anything short of a 10 loses money. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
- Raw (NM)
- $150
- Grade 9.5
- $160
- PSA 9
- $145
- Gem premium
- 1.1×
- 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 — Grade 9.5 | $160 | −$15.00 | −$40.00 | −$140 |
| PSA 9 | $145 | −$30.00 | −$55.00 | −$155 |
Net = sale price − $150 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% | $149 | −$51.25 |
| 50% | $153 | −$47.50 |
| 75% | $156 | −$43.75 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | Graded |
|---|---|
| 9.5 | $160 |
| 9 | $145 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other Garbage Pail Kids Trumpocracy cards worth checking
Full set checklist →Grading Deserting DONALD #38 — FAQ
Is Deserting DONALD #38 worth grading?
Grade 9.5 copies of Deserting DONALD #38 sell for $160, only $10.00 above the $150 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($145) sells for less than raw, so anything short of a 10 loses money. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
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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