Is The Beginning #1 worth grading?
Marvel · Marvel 1992 Comic Images Spider-Man · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 The Beginning #1 sells for $48.00 against $9.64 raw: a $38.36 spread, 5.0× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($43.50) 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)
- $9.64
- Grade 9.5
- $48.00
- PSA 9
- $43.50
- Gem premium
- 5.0×
- As of
- Oct 4, 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 | $48.00 | +$13.36 | −$11.64 | −$112 |
| PSA 9 | $43.50 | +$8.86 | −$16.14 | −$116 |
| PSA 8 | $8.50 | −$26.14 | −$51.14 | −$151 |
Net = sale price − $9.64 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% | $44.63 | −$15.02 |
| 50% | $45.75 | −$13.89 |
| 75% | $46.88 | −$12.77 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CGC 10 | $40.00 | best | 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.
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Raw conditions & history →Run your own numbers
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Grading The Beginning #1 — FAQ
Is The Beginning #1 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 The Beginning #1 sells for $48.00 against $9.64 raw: a $38.36 spread, 5.0× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($43.50) 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 centering does The Beginning #1 need for a CGC 10?
CGC publishes 55/45 front and 75/25 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.
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