Is Human Torch #52 worth grading?

Marvel · Marvel 1994 Masterpieces · full price guide →

Grading rarely pays for this card

Grade 9.5 copies of Human Torch #52 sell for $20.00, only $18.45 above the $1.55 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($16.82) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.

Raw (NM): $1.55
Grade 9.5: $20.00
PSA 9: $16.82
Gem premium: 13×
As of: Sep 27, 2026

Break-even by outcome and fee

Human Torch #52: net result of grading versus selling raw, by outcome and fee tier
If it comes back…	Sells for	Economy / bulk (~$25.00)	Standard (~$50.00)	Express (~$150)
Gem — Grade 9.5	$20.00	−$6.55	−$31.55	−$132
PSA 9	$16.82	−$9.73	−$34.73	−$135
PSA 8	$7.85	−$18.70	−$43.70	−$144

Net = sale price − $1.55 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?

Human Torch #52: expected value of submitting by gem probability
Chance it gems	Expected sale	Expected net (standard fee)
25%	$17.62	−$33.94
50%	$18.41	−$33.14
75%	$19.20	−$32.34

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 →

Human Torch #52 graded prices by company and grade
Grade	Graded
9.5	$20.00
9	$16.82
8	$7.85

Run your own numbers

Should I pay this?

Asking priceGrading fee

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