Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about Pokemon card investing and SlabQuant.
Is my Pokemon card worth grading?
It depends on the card's raw price, PSA 10 price, and gem rate. SlabQuant runs 10,000 simulations to calculate your exact probability of profit. Search any card to see if grading is worth it.
How does SlabQuant work?
We score every Pokemon card daily using a proprietary 9-factor algorithm. Each card gets three signals: Grade It (should you grade?), Buy (should you buy raw?), and Sell (should you sell if you own it?). Signals are based on real PSA prices, population data, market trends, and Monte Carlo simulation.
What is a gem rate?
The gem rate is the percentage of cards submitted to PSA that receive a perfect PSA 10 grade. A 15% gem rate means roughly 1 in 7 submissions gets a 10. Higher gem rates mean more predictable grading outcomes. Lower gem rates mean PSA 10s are scarcer and often more valuable.
How accurate is SlabQuant?
We publish our full track record including wins and losses — no cherry-picking. Our algorithm version and confidence score are displayed publicly. We believe in radical transparency: if we're wrong, you'll see it.
What data sources does SlabQuant use?
We combine real eBay sold prices for PSA graded cards, PSA population reports, TCGPlayer market prices, Google Trends demand signals, and supply cycle analytics. Every price in our system comes from a verified transaction.
Is SlabQuant free?
You get free reports every day — no credit card required. Pro and Alpha plans unlock more reports, full analysis, and additional features. See our pricing page for details.
What is the SlabQuant Index?
The SlabQuant Index is a simulated portfolio that follows our signals. $1 in on every BUY, cash out on every SELL. It tracks our real-time performance so you can verify our track record before subscribing.
What is a grading multiple?
The grading multiple is the ratio of the PSA 10 price to the raw (ungraded) price. A card selling raw for $10 with PSA 10s at $200 has a 20x multiple. Higher multiples mean more upside from grading — but you also need to factor in the gem rate and grading costs.
How much does PSA grading cost?
PSA charges $24.99 per card for Value Bulk (95 business days) up to $599 for Walk-Through (7 business days). The tier depends on your card's declared value. SlabQuant automatically uses the correct PSA tier when calculating your grading ROI.
Should I grade Japanese Pokemon cards?
Japanese cards often have higher gem rates due to better print quality, which can make grading more profitable. SlabQuant scores both English and Japanese cards with the same algorithm. Search any Japanese card to see the analysis.
What does probability of profit mean?
We simulate grading your card 10,000 times using real PSA population data and current market prices. The probability of profit tells you how often you'd make money across all those simulations. For example, 73% means you'd profit in roughly 7,300 out of 10,000 scenarios.
What is an out-of-print (OOP) set?
When a Pokemon set stops being printed, the supply of raw cards freezes. This is one of the strongest predictors of price appreciation. SlabQuant tracks which sets are in print, approaching OOP, or confirmed out of print as part of our supply cycle analysis.
How often is data updated?
Card prices, signals, and scores are updated daily. Population data refreshes when new grading results are available. Our algorithm runs every day to ensure you're seeing the latest analysis.
Can I use SlabQuant for Magic: The Gathering or other TCGs?
Currently we cover Pokemon TCG (English and Japanese). Multi-TCG expansion including Magic: The Gathering, Yu-Gi-Oh, and One Piece TCG is on our roadmap.
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