Is Articuno worth grading?
Pokémon · Wizards Black Star Promos · 48 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Articuno sells for $462 against $99.40 raw: a $363 spread, 4.6× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($127) 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)
- $99.40
- PSA 10
- $462
- PSA 9
- $127
- Gem premium
- 4.6×
- 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 | $462 | +$338 | +$313 | +$213 |
| PSA 9 | $127 | +$2.95 | −$22.05 | −$122 |
| PSA 8 | $90.53 | −$33.87 | −$58.87 | −$159 |
Net = sale price − $99.40 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% | $211 | +$61.63 |
| 50% | $295 | +$145 |
| 75% | $378 | +$229 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 7%. 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 | $462 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $126 | −$336 | 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 | $462 | $126 | — | — |
| 9.5 | — | $89.82 | — | — |
| 9 | $127 | $44.58 | $90.82 | — |
| 8.5 | — | $59.92 | $50.27 | — |
| 8 | $90.53 | $49.99 | — | — |
| 7.5 | — | $23.00 | — | — |
| 7 | $58.06 | — | — | $30.00 |
| 6 | $41.05 | — | — | — |
| 5.5 | — | $21.00 | — | — |
| 5 | $61.00 | — | — | — |
Run your own numbers
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Other Wizards Black Star Promos cards worth checking
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Grading Articuno — FAQ
Is Articuno worth grading?
A PSA 10 Articuno sells for $462 against $99.40 raw: a $363 spread, 4.6× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($127) 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 Articuno worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Articuno (Wizards Black Star Promos 48) sells for about $462 versus $99.40 for a raw near-mint copy — a 4.6× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Articuno?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $462, ahead of CGC 10 at $126. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Articuno 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 Articuno break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Articuno breaks even when it gems about 7% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $127).
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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