Is ライチュウex worth grading?
Pokémon · 砂漠のきせき · 023/053 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 ライチュウex sells for $2,200 against $20.00 raw: a $2,180 spread, 110× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($171) clears the raw price after an economy-tier ~$25 fee, so a near-miss still comes out ahead. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $20.00
- PSA 10
- $2,200
- PSA 9
- $171
- Gem premium
- 110×
- As of
- Sep 27, 2026
Break-even by outcome and fee
| If it comes back… | Sells for | Economy / bulk (~$25.00) | Standard (~$50.00) | Express (~$150) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gem — PSA 10 | $2,200 | +$2,155 | +$2,130 | +$2,030 |
| PSA 9 | $171 | +$126 | +$101 | +$1.32 |
| PSA 8 | $98.69 | +$53.69 | +$28.69 | −$71.31 |
Net = sale price − $20.00 raw value − fee. Fee tiers are illustrative; plug your grader's current price into the calculator below.
Expected value — how often does it need to gem?
| Chance it gems | Expected sale | Expected net (standard fee) |
|---|---|---|
| 25% | $679 | +$609 |
| 50% | $1,186 | +$1,116 |
| 75% | $1,693 | +$1,623 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
Which grader pays the most — and what a 10 takes
All centering standards →| Grader | 10 sells for | vs best | Front centering for a 10 | Back |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA 10 | $2,200 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $18.00 | −$2,182 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
Tolerances are each company's published centering standard for its top grade; surface, corners and edges must also be clean. Centering is the one you can measure yourself before you pay.
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Grading ライチュウex — FAQ
Is ライチュウex worth grading?
A PSA 10 ライチュウex sells for $2,200 against $20.00 raw: a $2,180 spread, 110× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($171) clears the raw price after an economy-tier ~$25 fee, so a near-miss still comes out ahead. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
How much is a PSA 10 ライチュウex worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 ライチュウex (砂漠のきせき 023/053) sells for about $2,200 versus $20.00 for a raw near-mint copy — a 110× premium as of Sep 27, 2026.
Which grading company is best for ライチュウex?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $2,200, ahead of CGC 10 at $18.00. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does ライチュウex need for a PSA 10?
PSA publishes 55/45 front and 75/25 back centering as the tolerance for a 10 (Gem Mint). Off-center copies are capped below the top grade regardless of surface — measure yours before paying the fee.
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