PSA fee update · Oct 2026
Worth grading right now?
PSA's Value tiers are still paused. The math just changed for most cards.
The cheapest submission is now PSA's new Standard tier: $59.99 — 2.4× the old Bulk CC price — with a 90–100 business-day wait. Cards that worked at $25 often don't pencil out at $60. We ran the numbers on today's top-ranked cards. Here's what still makes sense.
The fee shift
Before vs. now
PSA suspended four submission tiers on June 2, 2026, then opened a Standard tier at $59.99 (cards up to $1,000, 90–100 business days). A card that used to go in at $24.99 now costs at least $59.99 and waits longer. That gap is the story.
Before (paused)
Starting price was $24.99 for Collector Club members
Now (active)
↑ 2.4× the old starting price
2.4×
increase in minimum fee
$24.99 → $59.99
$35
more per submission
vs. old Bulk CC floor
4 tiers
currently paused
all under $65/card
ROI check
Should you grade this card right now?
Search any card and we'll fill in the prices and give you a straight answer — or enter the numbers yourself. The PSA tier is auto-selected from active tiers only. Net figures include eBay's ~13% cut.
Submission read
Floor weakNet if PSA 9
-$24
Net if PSA 10
$159
ROI if PSA 10
+132%
Net figures include eBay ~13% selling fee and grading cost. Excludes shipping and taxes.
Floor-protected opportunities
Cards that still pencil out
These cards have a protected floor — even a PSA 9 outcome returns a profit after the PSA fee for its tier. Ranked by ROI at PSA 10.
What changed
Cards that no longer pencil out
The fee jump from $25 to $60 broke the math on an entire category of mid-range cards. These are the patterns that used to work — and don't anymore.
Raw $30–50, PSA 9 under $90
With a $59.99 fee, a PSA 9 has to net $90–110 after eBay just to break even. At $90 PSA 9 (~$78 net), you're down $12–32 on a missed gem. Used to work at $25.
Example: Common vintage commons, modern base cards from 2019–2021 sets
Low-pop cards with thin PSA 10 markets
Low population counts feel exciting, but if the PSA 10 trades at $200 or less, the margin is razor-thin after $60 fees and eBay. One bad grade kills the trade.
Example: Obscure variations, short-print commons, unlicensed parallels
Cards where 9s trade at a discount to raws
Some cards have PSA 9 values below raw market price — meaning grading actually destroys value at the 9. You're entirely exposed if it doesn't gem.
Example: Heavily overproduced sets, certain graded premiums near zero
Anything that needed the $50 tier to work
At $49.99 with a ~45 business-day wait, some cards offered thin but positive margins. Standard costs $10 more per card and takes roughly twice as long — enough to flip those thin margins negative.
Example: Mid-value players, secondary stars from major sets
Condition signals
What experienced submitters look for
At $59.99+ per slot, every card you submit has to earn it. These are the signals that matter most before you commit a submission.
Run the PSA 9 downside first
Before calculating any upside, check whether a PSA 9 outcome still returns a profit. If it doesn't, the submission only works on a perfect copy — and most copies aren't perfect.
Factor eBay's ~13% cut into every number
Gross sale price is a fantasy. Your net after eBay's combined fees is what actually lands in your pocket. Always compute net proceeds before deciding whether a card works.
Centering is the single biggest disqualifier
A card that grades PSA 8 instead of PSA 10 because of centering often trades close to raw. Reject any copy where you can see centering issues under normal light.
Corner wear shows under a 45° lamp angle
Hold the card at an angle to a desk lamp. Factory-fresh corners reflect evenly. Wear shows as dark patches or flat edges. If you see them, the card is not a gem candidate.
Surface hits are invisible until they aren't
Tilt the card slowly under the light while looking across the surface. Hairlines and print lines appear as lighter or darker streaks. Reject cards with any linear marks.
High-population sets carry hidden gem difficulty
Some sets grade harshly regardless of condition — high population means PSA has seen the cards and knows what to dock. A 10 pop can be more meaningful than raw numbers suggest.
Frequently asked questions
Why did PSA pause the cheap tiers?
PSA cited a backlog of approximately 10 million cards as of June 2026 and suspended its Value tiers (Bulk CC through Value Premium). It has since added a Standard tier at $59.99 per card (declared value up to $1,000, an estimated 90–100 business days), which is now the cheapest available option. Cards declared above $1,000 start at Regular, $79.99.
Will the paused tiers come back?
PSA has not announced a specific timeline. They typically reopen tiers as the backlog clears. Until then, every submission starts at $59.99 (Standard), or $79.99 for cards above $1,000.
Does the $59.99 minimum change which cards are worth grading?
Yes. Cards that worked at $25 often don't pencil out at $60. To break even on a missed gem, the PSA 9 has to net your raw cost plus the $59.99 fee after eBay's ~13% cut — a $40 raw card needs a PSA 9 that sells for roughly $115 or more.
How does Compz calculate ROI?
Net profit = graded price × (1 − 0.1295) − raw cost − grading fee − time cost, where time cost charges 8% a year on the money tied up during PSA's turnaround. ROI = net profit ÷ (raw cost + grading fee). Floor status is determined by whether a PSA 9 outcome is still profitable after all costs.
What is floor protection?
A card has a protected floor when profit_if_9 > 0 — meaning even if it only grades PSA 9, you still come out ahead. Without floor protection, you're entirely dependent on a PSA 10 to recover your investment.