Is ALIEN IAN [Purple] #138a worth grading?
Garbage Pail Kids · 2021 Garbage Pail Kids Chrome · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 ALIEN IAN [Purple] #138a sells for $125 against $9.69 raw: a $115 spread, 13× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($45.00) 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)
- $9.69
- PSA 10
- $125
- PSA 9
- $45.00
- Gem premium
- 13×
- 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 | $125 | +$90.31 | +$65.31 | −$34.69 |
| PSA 9 | $45.00 | +$10.31 | −$14.69 | −$115 |
Net = sale price − $9.69 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% | $65.00 | +$5.31 |
| 50% | $85.00 | +$25.31 |
| 75% | $105 | +$45.31 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 18%. 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 | $163 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $125 | −$38.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $75.00 | −$88.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $75.00 | −$88.00 | 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 | $125 | $75.00 | $163 | $75.00 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $50.00 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $45.00 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Grading ALIEN IAN [Purple] #138a — FAQ
Is ALIEN IAN [Purple] #138a worth grading?
A PSA 10 ALIEN IAN [Purple] #138a sells for $125 against $9.69 raw: a $115 spread, 13× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($45.00) 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 ALIEN IAN [Purple] #138a worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 ALIEN IAN [Purple] #138a (2021 Garbage Pail Kids Chrome) sells for about $125 versus $9.69 for a raw near-mint copy — a 13× premium as of Aug 16, 2026.
Which grading company is best for ALIEN IAN [Purple] #138a?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $163, ahead of PSA 10 at $125. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does ALIEN IAN [Purple] #138a 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 IAN [Purple] #138a break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting ALIEN IAN [Purple] #138a breaks even when it gems about 18% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $45.00).
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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