Is Iceman #5 worth grading?
Marvel · Marvel 1995 Ultra X-Men Sinister Observations · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 15× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Iceman #5 sells for $101 against $6.59 raw: a $93.96 spread, 15× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($17.00) 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)
- $6.59
- PSA 10
- $101
- PSA 9
- $17.00
- 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 | $101 | +$68.96 | +$43.96 | −$56.04 |
| PSA 9 | $17.00 | −$14.59 | −$39.59 | −$140 |
| PSA 8 | $15.00 | −$16.59 | −$41.59 | −$142 |
Net = sale price − $6.59 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% | $37.89 | −$18.70 |
| 50% | $58.77 | +$2.19 |
| 75% | $79.66 | +$23.07 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 47%. 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 | $131 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $101 | −$30.45 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $60.00 | −$71.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $60.00 | −$71.00 | 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 | $101 | $60.00 | $131 | $60.00 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $19.00 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $17.00 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $15.00 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $12.05 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other Marvel 1995 Ultra X-Men Sinister Observations cards worth checking
Full set checklist →Grading Iceman #5 — FAQ
Is Iceman #5 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Iceman #5 sells for $101 against $6.59 raw: a $93.96 spread, 15× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($17.00) 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 Iceman #5 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Iceman #5 (Marvel 1995 Ultra X-Men Sinister Observations) sells for about $101 versus $6.59 for a raw near-mint copy — a 15× premium as of Aug 15, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Iceman #5?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $131, ahead of PSA 10 at $101. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Iceman #5 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 Iceman #5 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Iceman #5 breaks even when it gems about 47% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $17.00).
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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