Is Rainbow Energy worth grading?
Pokémon · Team Rocket · 17/82 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Rainbow Energy sells for $2,033 against $42.21 raw: a $1,991 spread, 48× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($119) 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)
- $42.21
- PSA 10
- $2,033
- PSA 9
- $119
- Gem premium
- 48×
- As of
- Aug 19, 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 | $2,033 | +$1,966 | +$1,941 | +$1,841 |
| PSA 9 | $119 | +$51.80 | +$26.80 | −$73.20 |
| PSA 8 | $51.64 | −$15.57 | −$40.57 | −$141 |
Net = sale price − $42.21 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% | $597 | +$505 |
| 50% | $1,076 | +$984 |
| 75% | $1,554 | +$1,462 |
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 | $2,033 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $338 | −$1,694 | 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 | TAG | ACE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $1,201 | $306 | — | — | — | — |
| 9.5 | — | $75.00 | $50.00 | — | — | — |
| 9 | $59.88 | $49.31 | $42.00 | — | $150 | — |
| 8.5 | $31.60 | $31.99 | $50.66 | $45.00 | $77.76 | — |
| 8 | $46.07 | $29.00 | $17.00 | $36.45 | $35.59 | $46.93 |
| 7.5 | — | $22.29 | — | — | $40.00 | — |
| 7 | $33.20 | $9.00 | $10.00 | $6.00 | $63.10 | — |
| 6.5 | $28.00 | $17.99 | — | — | — | — |
| 6 | $19.26 | $15.00 | — | $16.00 | $24.09 | $27.75 |
| 5.5 | — | $6.00 | — | — | — | — |
| 5 | $14.93 | $6.00 | — | — | — | — |
| 4 | $18.31 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 3 | $6.82 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2.5 | — | $13.00 | — | — | — | — |
| 2 | $16.66 | — | — | — | — | — |
Run your own numbers
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Other Team Rocket cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Rainbow Energy — FAQ
Is Rainbow Energy worth grading?
A PSA 10 Rainbow Energy sells for $2,033 against $42.21 raw: a $1,991 spread, 48× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($119) 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 Rainbow Energy worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Rainbow Energy (Team Rocket 17/82) sells for about $2,033 versus $42.21 for a raw near-mint copy — a 48× premium as of Aug 19, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Rainbow Energy?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $2,033, ahead of CGC 10 at $338. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Rainbow 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.
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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