When is a comic worth grading?

When expected graded value clears fee, pressing, shipping and selling costs with margin — usually keys and pristine moderns where the 9.8 comp is several multiples of raw. Mid-grade commons rarely pass.

Should I press before grading?

If the book has pressable defects (dents, ripples, spine roll without color breaks), pressing at $15–30 often pays for itself many times over in the 9.4→9.8 jump.

Expected value · CGC 2026 tiers · pressing included

Is it worth grading?

The only question that matters, answered with math. Enter your comps, pick a CGC tier, decide on pressing, be honest about the spine — get the expected profit of slabbing vs. selling raw.

Inputsedit me

Raw (ungraded) value $

High grade (e.g. 9.8) value $

Expected (e.g. 9.4) value $

Lower (9.0 or less) value $

Condition (honest self-assessment)

Grading tier (Aug 2026)

CGC turnarounds are brutal — the tier you pick decides when you see the book again.

Fee per item $

Add pressing (~$20, often +0.2–0.4 grade, adds months)

Shipping both ways (per item) $

Selling fee %

≈13% on eBay. 0 if keeping the book.

Resultlive

$0EV of grading (net)

$0Sell raw (net)

Outcome breakdownper grade

Outcome	Odds	Sale	Net

Net = sale × (1 − selling fee) − grading fee − shipping − pressing. Remember the time cost: CGC Modern ties up your book for 8–12 months.

How the math works

Each grade outcome × its odds × your net sale price, minus every cost — compared against selling raw today. Find comps in eBay sold listings for your book at 9.8, 9.4 and 9.0. And remember the cost no calculator shows: at CGC Modern speed, your book is gone for most of a year.

FAQ

Where do I find 9.8 comps?

eBay sold listings filtered to the exact issue and grade — use the median of recent sales.

The calculator says borderline — now what?

Check if pressing changes it (toggle it), or wait: books below ~$100 raw rarely justify CGC Modern’s year-long queue. Costs on the fee page.