{
  "url": "https://www.moonstonehq.com/articles/psa-10-premium-distribution",
  "slug": "psa-10-premium-distribution",
  "title": "How Much a PSA 10 Adds, Across 8,676 Cards",
  "summary": "The middle card's PSA 10 sells for 12.2 times its raw ask and $101.45 more in cash. Half of them sit outside 5.7x to 24.4x, so one quoted multiple fits nobody.",
  "section": "Grading economics",
  "published": "2026-09-22",
  "readMinutes": 10,
  "publisher": "moonstone",
  "findings": [
    {
      "value": "12.2x",
      "measures": "median PSA 10 sold median over raw ask",
      "basis": "8,676 products priced in both, September 22, 2026"
    },
    {
      "value": "$101.45",
      "measures": "median gap in cash",
      "basis": "the same 8,676 cards, sold median minus ask"
    },
    {
      "value": "5.7x to 24.4x",
      "measures": "the middle half",
      "basis": "p25 to p75. The mean, 19.4x, sits inside nobody's expectation"
    },
    {
      "value": "35",
      "measures": "cards where the slab sells for less than the raw card",
      "basis": "0.4% of the population, so the floor is real but rare"
    }
  ],
  "tables": [
    {
      "title": "The PSA 10 premium, whole population (8,676 products, September 22, 2026)",
      "columns": [
        "Percentile",
        "PSA 10 sold median over raw ask"
      ],
      "rows": [
        {
          "Percentile": "1st",
          "PSA 10 sold median over raw ask": "1.33x"
        },
        {
          "Percentile": "5th",
          "PSA 10 sold median over raw ask": "2.15x"
        },
        {
          "Percentile": "10th",
          "PSA 10 sold median over raw ask": "3.01x"
        },
        {
          "Percentile": "25th",
          "PSA 10 sold median over raw ask": "5.70x"
        },
        {
          "Percentile": "50th",
          "PSA 10 sold median over raw ask": "12.20x"
        },
        {
          "Percentile": "75th",
          "PSA 10 sold median over raw ask": "24.43x"
        },
        {
          "Percentile": "90th",
          "PSA 10 sold median over raw ask": "40.85x"
        },
        {
          "Percentile": "95th",
          "PSA 10 sold median over raw ask": "51.62x"
        },
        {
          "Percentile": "99th",
          "PSA 10 sold median over raw ask": "131.05x"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "title": "Sorted by premium and cut into ten equal slices",
      "columns": [
        "Decile",
        "Cards",
        "Premium range",
        "Median raw ask",
        "Median PSA 10 sold",
        "Median gap"
      ],
      "rows": [
        {
          "Decile": "1 (cheapest premium)",
          "Cards": "867",
          "Premium range": "0.03x to 3.01x",
          "Median raw ask": "$56.45",
          "Median PSA 10 sold": "$113.50",
          "Median gap": "$54.85"
        },
        {
          "Decile": "2",
          "Cards": "868",
          "Premium range": "3.01x to 4.73x",
          "Median raw ask": "$24.56",
          "Median PSA 10 sold": "$94.88",
          "Median gap": "$69.11"
        },
        {
          "Decile": "3",
          "Cards": "867",
          "Premium range": "4.73x to 6.72x",
          "Median raw ask": "$16.07",
          "Median PSA 10 sold": "$92.50",
          "Median gap": "$76.69"
        },
        {
          "Decile": "4",
          "Cards": "868",
          "Premium range": "6.72x to 9.15x",
          "Median raw ask": "$11.14",
          "Median PSA 10 sold": "$86.50",
          "Median gap": "$75.68"
        },
        {
          "Decile": "5",
          "Cards": "868",
          "Premium range": "9.15x to 12.20x",
          "Median raw ask": "$8.67",
          "Median PSA 10 sold": "$92.47",
          "Median gap": "$83.59"
        },
        {
          "Decile": "6",
          "Cards": "867",
          "Premium range": "12.20x to 15.99x",
          "Median raw ask": "$7.99",
          "Median PSA 10 sold": "$106.18",
          "Median gap": "$98.96"
        },
        {
          "Decile": "7",
          "Cards": "868",
          "Premium range": "16.00x to 21.23x",
          "Median raw ask": "$7.00",
          "Median PSA 10 sold": "$126.26",
          "Median gap": "$119.58"
        },
        {
          "Decile": "8",
          "Cards": "867",
          "Premium range": "21.23x to 28.63x",
          "Median raw ask": "$7.03",
          "Median PSA 10 sold": "$169.62",
          "Median gap": "$162.63"
        },
        {
          "Decile": "9",
          "Cards": "868",
          "Premium range": "28.64x to 40.85x",
          "Median raw ask": "$6.39",
          "Median PSA 10 sold": "$223.50",
          "Median gap": "$217.01"
        },
        {
          "Decile": "10 (dearest premium)",
          "Cards": "868",
          "Premium range": "40.85x to 591.46x",
          "Median raw ask": "$4.53",
          "Median PSA 10 sold": "$307.00",
          "Median gap": "$301.80"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "title": "Premium and cash gap by raw ask band",
      "columns": [
        "Raw ask",
        "Cards",
        "Median raw ask",
        "Median PSA 10 sold",
        "Median premium",
        "Median cash gap"
      ],
      "rows": [
        {
          "Raw ask": "Under $1",
          "Cards": "147",
          "Median raw ask": "$0.83",
          "Median PSA 10 sold": "$39.00",
          "Median premium": "46.07x",
          "Median cash gap": "$38.20"
        },
        {
          "Raw ask": "$1 to $5",
          "Cards": "2,235",
          "Median raw ask": "$2.69",
          "Median PSA 10 sold": "$48.50",
          "Median premium": "20.22x",
          "Median cash gap": "$45.70"
        },
        {
          "Raw ask": "$5 to $20",
          "Cards": "2,985",
          "Median raw ask": "$9.99",
          "Median PSA 10 sold": "$100.00",
          "Median premium": "10.36x",
          "Median cash gap": "$88.84"
        },
        {
          "Raw ask": "$20 to $50",
          "Cards": "1,570",
          "Median raw ask": "$30.35",
          "Median PSA 10 sold": "$246.50",
          "Median premium": "7.99x",
          "Median cash gap": "$211.68"
        },
        {
          "Raw ask": "$50 to $200",
          "Cards": "1,295",
          "Median raw ask": "$84.95",
          "Median PSA 10 sold": "$560.00",
          "Median premium": "6.48x",
          "Median cash gap": "$468.20"
        },
        {
          "Raw ask": "$200 to $1,000",
          "Cards": "412",
          "Median raw ask": "$312.28",
          "Median PSA 10 sold": "$2,373.36",
          "Median premium": "6.25x",
          "Median cash gap": "$1,995.66"
        },
        {
          "Raw ask": "$1,000 and up",
          "Cards": "32",
          "Median raw ask": "$1,450.99",
          "Median PSA 10 sold": "$10,880.00",
          "Median premium": "4.66x",
          "Median cash gap": "$8,381.00"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "title": "The same population at five comp floors",
      "columns": [
        "Minimum verified PSA 10 comps",
        "Cards",
        "Median premium",
        "Median cash gap",
        "Median raw ask"
      ],
      "rows": [
        {
          "Minimum verified PSA 10 comps": "2 (the published universe)",
          "Cards": "8,676",
          "Median premium": "12.20x",
          "Median cash gap": "$101.45",
          "Median raw ask": "$12.34"
        },
        {
          "Minimum verified PSA 10 comps": "5",
          "Cards": "6,993",
          "Median premium": "11.20x",
          "Median cash gap": "$97.06",
          "Median raw ask": "$13.34"
        },
        {
          "Minimum verified PSA 10 comps": "10",
          "Cards": "4,857",
          "Median premium": "9.62x",
          "Median cash gap": "$91.25",
          "Median raw ask": "$14.59"
        },
        {
          "Minimum verified PSA 10 comps": "20",
          "Cards": "3,093",
          "Median premium": "8.14x",
          "Median cash gap": "$85.86",
          "Median raw ask": "$16.05"
        },
        {
          "Minimum verified PSA 10 comps": "50",
          "Cards": "1,594",
          "Median premium": "6.21x",
          "Median cash gap": "$88.57",
          "Median raw ask": "$20.47"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "title": "Premium by era, eras with 25 or more cards",
      "columns": [
        "Era",
        "Cards",
        "Median raw ask",
        "Median premium",
        "Median cash gap"
      ],
      "rows": [
        {
          "Era": "WotC",
          "Cards": "658",
          "Median raw ask": "$14.74",
          "Median premium": "34.46x",
          "Median cash gap": "$368.58"
        },
        {
          "Era": "Diamond & Pearl",
          "Cards": "33",
          "Median raw ask": "$45.95",
          "Median premium": "30.64x",
          "Median cash gap": "$1,485.82"
        },
        {
          "Era": "EX",
          "Cards": "394",
          "Median raw ask": "$47.39",
          "Median premium": "28.58x",
          "Median cash gap": "$1,389.48"
        },
        {
          "Era": "Black & White",
          "Cards": "51",
          "Median raw ask": "$94.87",
          "Median premium": "27.67x",
          "Median cash gap": "$2,195.87"
        },
        {
          "Era": "XY",
          "Cards": "206",
          "Median raw ask": "$22.81",
          "Median premium": "27.06x",
          "Median cash gap": "$441.79"
        },
        {
          "Era": "HeartGold SoulSilver",
          "Cards": "26",
          "Median raw ask": "$127.11",
          "Median premium": "25.84x",
          "Median cash gap": "$2,604.88"
        },
        {
          "Era": "Scarlet & Violet",
          "Cards": "1,157",
          "Median raw ask": "$8.23",
          "Median premium": "12.94x",
          "Median cash gap": "$82.96"
        },
        {
          "Era": "Sword & Shield",
          "Cards": "1,109",
          "Median raw ask": "$5.69",
          "Median premium": "11.94x",
          "Median cash gap": "$58.85"
        },
        {
          "Era": "Mega",
          "Cards": "349",
          "Median raw ask": "$5.68",
          "Median premium": "11.91x",
          "Median cash gap": "$54.84"
        },
        {
          "Era": "Celebrations",
          "Cards": "27",
          "Median raw ask": "$8.31",
          "Median premium": "10.95x",
          "Median cash gap": "$90.39"
        },
        {
          "Era": "Other",
          "Cards": "4,054",
          "Median raw ask": "$14.21",
          "Median premium": "9.21x",
          "Median cash gap": "$81.87"
        },
        {
          "Era": "Sun & Moon",
          "Cards": "612",
          "Median raw ask": "$23.83",
          "Median premium": "8.73x",
          "Median cash gap": "$182.25"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "charts": [],
  "sections": [
    "The citable number, and the spread around it",
    "The multiple and the money point in opposite directions",
    "How much the answer depends on the comp floor",
    "Where the premium lives",
    "What would overturn this"
  ],
  "method": [
    "Universe: every row of `cards` carrying a TCGplayer product id, joined to the latest `price_history` row for that product (day 20718, September 22, 2026) and to the latest `graded_snapshots` row for grade PSA 10 with a median above zero, keyed on either the catalog id or the product id exactly as the card page keys it. A card enters when both exist and the PSA 10 median rests on at least two verified sold comps. That was this study's own entry bar, and it is looser than the bar the card page prints a graded median under today: since October 2026 a published median stands on at least ten recorded sales, so a reader checking a thin card against its page may find the figure withheld there and present here. That is 8,676 distinct products. No price floor and no top-N window are applied: a premium ladder built only on cards above some price is a statement about that price, not about the catalog. The catalog holds two rows for some products, so rows are collapsed to one per product id, keeping the lexicographically first catalog id. Medians are upper-middle on even samples; percentiles are nearest-rank. Raw figures are asks from the TCGplayer tape; graded figures are sold medians. Ratios are computed per card and then the median is taken across cards, so no single expensive card can move the headline. Era labels are derived from the catalog id prefix rather than from a curated set-to-era map, so the buckets are approximate at their edges: 52 of the 349 rows labelled Mega are Trading Card Game Classic, Alternate Art Promos and Trainer Kit printings whose ids begin the same way, and removing them moves that row from 11.91x to 11.97x. Related work, all of it narrower: [the multiple ladder](/articles/the-multiple-ladder), [easy grades are cheap grades](/articles/easy-grades-are-cheap-grades), [the PSA 9 discount curve](/articles/the-psa-9-discount-curve), [how many sales is a price](/articles/how-many-sales-is-a-price). Not financial advice."
  ],
  "terms": "Figures are moonstone's own recorded measurements, dated as published. Quote them with the population stated beside them. The article at `url` is the human form of this file."
}