Is Apocalypse [Red] #3 worth grading?
Marvel · Marvel 2015 Fleer Retro Metal · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Apocalypse [Red] #3 sells for $400 against $136 raw: a $265 spread, 3.0× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($184) 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)
- $136
- Grade 9.5
- $400
- PSA 9
- $184
- Gem premium
- 3.0×
- 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 — Grade 9.5 | $400 | +$240 | +$215 | +$115 |
| PSA 9 | $184 | +$23.00 | −$2.00 | −$102 |
Net = sale price − $136 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% | $238 | +$52.13 |
| 50% | $292 | +$106 |
| 75% | $346 | +$160 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 1%. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses — measure it before you decide.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | Graded |
|---|---|
| 9.5 | $400 |
| 9 | $184 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
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Other Marvel 2015 Fleer Retro Metal cards worth checking
Full set checklist →Grading Apocalypse [Red] #3 — FAQ
Is Apocalypse [Red] #3 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Apocalypse [Red] #3 sells for $400 against $136 raw: a $265 spread, 3.0× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($184) 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.
What gem rate makes grading Apocalypse [Red] #3 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Apocalypse [Red] #3 breaks even when it gems about 1% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $184).
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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