Is Moltres worth grading?
Pokémon · Wizards Black Star Promos · 21 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Moltres sells for $235 against $19.67 raw: a $215 spread, 12× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($53.50) 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)
- $19.67
- PSA 10
- $235
- PSA 9
- $53.50
- Gem premium
- 12×
- 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 | $235 | +$190 | +$165 | +$64.85 |
| PSA 9 | $53.50 | +$8.83 | −$16.17 | −$116 |
| PSA 8 | $33.61 | −$11.06 | −$36.06 | −$136 |
Net = sale price − $19.67 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% | $98.75 | +$29.08 |
| 50% | $144 | +$74.34 |
| 75% | $189 | +$120 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 9%. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TAG 10 | $250 | best | 55/45 | 72/28 |
| PSA 10 | $235 | −$15.48 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $66.44 | −$184 | 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 | TAG | ACE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $235 | $66.44 | — | $250 | — |
| 9.5 | — | $20.95 | $34.00 | — | — |
| 9 | $53.50 | $28.87 | — | $42.00 | — |
| 8.5 | $39.00 | $20.13 | — | — | — |
| 8 | $33.61 | $13.48 | $26.78 | — | $29.66 |
| 7.5 | — | $27.93 | $13.00 | — | — |
| 7 | $29.78 | — | $20.00 | — | — |
| 6.5 | — | $14.00 | — | — | — |
| 6 | $18.28 | $14.98 | — | — | — |
| 5 | $15.07 | — | — | — | — |
| 4 | $11.93 | — | — | — | — |
| 3 | $10.00 | — | — | — | — |
| 1 | $41.95 | — | — | — | — |
Run your own numbers
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Other Wizards Black Star Promos cards worth checking
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Grading Moltres — FAQ
Is Moltres worth grading?
A PSA 10 Moltres sells for $235 against $19.67 raw: a $215 spread, 12× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($53.50) 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 Moltres worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Moltres (Wizards Black Star Promos 21) sells for about $235 versus $19.67 for a raw near-mint copy — a 12× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Moltres?
By resale value, TAG 10 leads at $250, ahead of PSA 10 at $235. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Moltres need for a TAG 10?
TAG publishes 55/45 front and 72/28 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 Moltres break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Moltres breaks even when it gems about 9% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $53.50).
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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