Break-even = (card cost + grading fee + shipping in + shipping back + shipping to buyer + $0.40) ÷ (1 − 0.1325)
Examples
| Card cost | Grading | Total cost | Break-even sale |
|---|---|---|---|
| $20.00 | $20.00 | $50.00 | $63.86 |
| $40.00 | $59.99 | $109.99 | $133.01 |
| $100.00 | $59.99 | $169.99 | $202.18 |
| $400.00 | $199.00 | $609.00 | $708.24 |
| $1,500.00 | $349.00 | $1,859.00 | $2,149.16 |
Assumptions: $5 shipping to the grader and $5 back per card, $5 shipping to the buyer, standard eBay trading-card fees (13.25% + $0.40 per order, $0.30 at $10 or less), no sales tax. Fees checked Oct 14, 2026. Change any of these in the calculator.
Selling in person with no fees? Break-even is just your total cost. Set the market to “local” in the calculator.