Worked example (assumptions you can change)
The card costs and sells raw for $90. Assumed graded sale prices are multiples of raw: 10 = 2.8×, 9 = 1.3×, 8 = 0.9×, 7 or lower = 0.6×, with grade odds of 25% / 45% / 22% / 8%. These are illustrative, not market data: replace them with sold comps and your own read of the card.
| Grade | Odds | Sells for | eBay fee | Profit after all costs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 25% | $252.00 | $33.79 | $93.21 |
| 9 | 45% | $117.00 | $15.90 | -$23.90 |
| 8 | 22% | $81.00 | $11.13 | -$55.13 |
| 7 or lower | 8% | $54.00 | $7.56 | -$78.56 |
All-in cost: $90.00 card + $20.00 CGC fee (Economy (90 working days)) + $10 round-trip shipping = $120.00. Odds-weighted profit = -$5.87; selling raw nets -$17.33. To beat selling raw, the chance of a 10 must be about 16.3% with the other grades keeping their relative odds.
Cheapest eligible tier at each grader
| Grader | Tier | Fee | Break-even sale | Expected profit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CGC | Economy (90 working days) | $20.00 | $144.55 | -$5.87 |
| SGC | Standard, up to $1,500 (40+ days) | $50.00 | $179.13 | -$35.87 |
| PSA | Standard (90-100 business days) | $59.99 | $190.65 | -$45.86 |
| BGS | Express (15 business days) | $79.95 | $213.66 | -$65.82 |
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 October 14, 2026. Change any of these in the calculator.
What differs for soccer cards
Soccer cards are mostly modern chrome products, with the same surface and centering risks as other chrome sets, and a global buyer base that follows specific players and clubs. Check that sold comps exist for the graded card; many soccer cards trade rarely.
Grader acceptance and category rules change: confirm on the grader’s own site (PSA · SGC · BGS · CGC). Fees checked October 14, 2026.
Open the calculator with this example pre-filled · all card types · gem-rate table · grading costs
GradeOrFlip is independent and not affiliated with PSA, SGC, Beckett (BGS), CGC or eBay. Names are used only to identify services.