Is Puppet Master #38 worth grading?
Marvel · Marvel 1995 Metal · full price guide →
Grading rarely pays for this card
PSA 10 copies of Puppet Master #38 sell for $20.54, only $19.16 above the $1.38 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($14.00) 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)
- $1.38
- PSA 10
- $20.54
- PSA 9
- $14.00
- Gem premium
- 15×
- 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 | $20.54 | −$5.84 | −$30.84 | −$131 |
| PSA 9 | $14.00 | −$12.38 | −$37.38 | −$137 |
| PSA 8 | $12.57 | −$13.81 | −$38.81 | −$139 |
Net = sale price − $1.38 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% | $15.63 | −$35.75 |
| 50% | $17.27 | −$34.11 |
| 75% | $18.91 | −$32.47 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
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 | $27.00 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $20.54 | −$6.46 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $12.00 | −$15.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $11.73 | −$15.27 | 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 | $20.54 | $11.73 | $27.00 | $12.00 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $15.00 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $14.00 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $12.57 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other Marvel 1995 Metal cards worth checking
Full set checklist →Grading Puppet Master #38 — FAQ
Is Puppet Master #38 worth grading?
PSA 10 copies of Puppet Master #38 sell for $20.54, only $19.16 above the $1.38 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($14.00) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
How much is a PSA 10 Puppet Master #38 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Puppet Master #38 (Marvel 1995 Metal) sells for about $20.54 versus $1.38 for a raw near-mint copy — a 15× premium as of Aug 15, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Puppet Master #38?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $27.00, ahead of PSA 10 at $20.54. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Puppet Master #38 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.
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.
Check my card free