Is Lightning Energy worth grading?
Pokémon · Base · 100/102 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Lightning Energy sells for $253 against $8.58 raw: a $244 spread, 29× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($46.90) 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)
- $8.58
- PSA 10
- $253
- PSA 9
- $46.90
- Gem premium
- 29×
- As of
- Aug 10, 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 | $253 | +$219 | +$194 | +$94.17 |
| PSA 9 | $46.90 | +$13.32 | −$11.68 | −$112 |
| PSA 8 | $27.74 | −$5.84 | −$30.84 | −$131 |
Net = sale price − $8.58 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% | $98.36 | +$39.78 |
| 50% | $150 | +$91.24 |
| 75% | $201 | +$143 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 6%. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses — measure it before you decide.
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 | $253 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $150 | −$103 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $40.00 | −$213 | 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.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | PSA | CGC | BGS | SGC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $112 | $18.66 | — | $40.00 |
| 9.5 | — | $9.00 | $20.44 | — |
| 9 | $28.42 | $17.95 | — | — |
| 8.5 | — | $11.70 | — | — |
| 8 | $37.44 | $4.00 | — | — |
| 7.5 | — | $4.33 | — | — |
| 7 | $8.90 | $8.00 | — | — |
| 6.5 | — | $9.00 | — | — |
| 6 | $10.49 | $6.00 | — | — |
| 5.5 | — | $20.00 | — | — |
| 5 | $10.00 | — | — | — |
| 4 | $5.00 | — | — | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
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Other Base cards worth checking
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Grading Lightning Energy — FAQ
Is Lightning Energy worth grading?
A PSA 10 Lightning Energy sells for $253 against $8.58 raw: a $244 spread, 29× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($46.90) 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 Lightning Energy worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Lightning Energy (Base 100/102) sells for about $253 versus $8.58 for a raw near-mint copy — a 29× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Lightning Energy?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $253, ahead of CGC 10 at $150. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Lightning Energy 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.
What gem rate makes grading Lightning Energy break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Lightning Energy breaks even when it gems about 6% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $46.90).
Is your Pokémon card centered well enough to grade?
Centering makes or breaks a PSA 10. Scan any card with Midpoint to measure its exact centering, get a grade estimate, and see what your copy is actually worth.
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