Is Ho-oh worth grading?
Pokémon · Wizards Black Star Promos · 52 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Ho-oh sells for $444 against $50.82 raw: a $393 spread, 8.7× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($160) 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)
- $50.82
- PSA 10
- $444
- PSA 9
- $160
- Gem premium
- 8.7×
- 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 | $444 | +$368 | +$343 | +$243 |
| PSA 9 | $160 | +$84.35 | +$59.35 | −$40.65 |
| PSA 8 | $84.14 | +$8.32 | −$16.68 | −$117 |
Net = sale price − $50.82 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% | $231 | +$130 |
| 50% | $302 | +$201 |
| 75% | $373 | +$272 |
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 | $444 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $175 | −$269 | 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 Ho-oh — FAQ
Is Ho-oh worth grading?
A PSA 10 Ho-oh sells for $444 against $50.82 raw: a $393 spread, 8.7× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($160) 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 Ho-oh worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Ho-oh (Wizards Black Star Promos 52) sells for about $444 versus $50.82 for a raw near-mint copy — a 8.7× premium as of Sep 27, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Ho-oh?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $444, ahead of CGC 10 at $175. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Ho-oh 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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