Is Imperial Guard #87 worth grading?
Marvel · Marvel 1992 X-Men Series 1 · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 29× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Imperial Guard #87 sells for $57.50 against $1.98 raw: a $55.52 spread, 29× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($12.39) 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)
- $1.98
- PSA 10
- $57.50
- PSA 9
- $12.39
- Gem premium
- 29×
- As of
- Aug 15, 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 | $57.50 | +$30.52 | +$5.52 | −$94.48 |
| PSA 9 | $12.39 | −$14.59 | −$39.59 | −$140 |
Net = sale price − $1.98 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% | $23.67 | −$28.31 |
| 50% | $34.95 | −$17.03 |
| 75% | $46.22 | −$5.76 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 88%. 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 | $75.00 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $57.50 | −$17.50 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $35.00 | −$40.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $35.00 | −$40.00 | 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 | $57.50 | $35.00 | $75.00 | $35.00 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $14.00 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $12.39 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $10.50 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
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Other Marvel 1992 X-Men Series 1 cards worth checking
Full set checklist →Grading Imperial Guard #87 — FAQ
Is Imperial Guard #87 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Imperial Guard #87 sells for $57.50 against $1.98 raw: a $55.52 spread, 29× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($12.39) 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 Imperial Guard #87 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Imperial Guard #87 (Marvel 1992 X-Men Series 1) sells for about $57.50 versus $1.98 for a raw near-mint copy — a 29× premium as of Aug 15, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Imperial Guard #87?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $75.00, ahead of PSA 10 at $57.50. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Imperial Guard #87 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 Imperial Guard #87 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Imperial Guard #87 breaks even when it gems about 88% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $12.39).
Is your Marvel 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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