Methodology & disclosure

How we reach a verdict

SlabVerdict answers one question: is a given Japanese Pokémon card worth grading? The answer is an economic one, and we reach it the same way every time.

The method

We weigh the probable graded value against the raw price plus the real cost of grading. The expected value is the sum of each grade's price times the odds of hitting it, minus what you paid for the card and what grading costs. A card clears the bar when that expected value is positive — at the odds, not the best case.

A high PSA 10 price is not, by itself, a reason to grade. If the gem rate is low, a strong PSA 10 is a chase, and we label it that way. The same card can be a different call for a different grader, because the price, the cost, and the odds all change.

Where the numbers come from

In this Phase-0 preview, the figures are example/mock data shaped to the real sources. In production, card identity and images come from the open TCGdex catalog; raw and graded figures are current eBay listing asks, shown with their listing counts and the date they were read. We label the basis next to the numbers so you always know what you are looking at.

What we don't claim

When the listings are too thin to be confident, we hold the verdict and say so, rather than printing a number we can't stand behind. We show ranges and counts instead of false precision. We don't present a converted price as if it were a real sale.

Affiliate & independence

Some “where to buy” links are eBay Partner Network links and may earn a commission. They never change a verdict — the call is computed before any link is placed, and a card that isn't worth grading says so regardless of what's for sale.

Intellectual property

SlabVerdict is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by The Pokémon Company, Nintendo, Creatures, GAME FREAK, PSA, or CGC. “Pokémon,” card names, and set names are referenced for identification only. We don't reproduce card art or copyrighted text beyond what fair use allows for a price guide.