Is Blastoise worth grading?
Pokémon · Plasma Blast · 16/101 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Blastoise sells for $200 against $18.32 raw: a $181 spread, 11× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($50.15) 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)
- $18.32
- PSA 10
- $200
- PSA 9
- $50.15
- Gem premium
- 11×
- 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 | $200 | +$156 | +$131 | +$31.40 |
| PSA 9 | $50.15 | +$6.83 | −$18.17 | −$118 |
| PSA 8 | $36.88 | −$6.44 | −$31.44 | −$131 |
Net = sale price − $18.32 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% | $87.54 | +$19.22 |
| 50% | $125 | +$56.62 |
| 75% | $162 | +$94.01 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 12%. 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 | $894 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $295 | −$598 | 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 | $894 | $295 | — | — |
| 9 | $26.00 | $74.99 | — | — |
| 8.5 | — | $8.00 | — | — |
| 8 | $59.87 | — | — | — |
| 7.5 | — | $22.42 | $203 | — |
| 7 | $27.93 | $10.00 | — | $30.00 |
| 6.5 | — | $10.00 | — | — |
| 6 | $29.00 | — | — | — |
| 5 | $7.50 | — | — | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other Plasma Blast cards worth checking
Full set checklist →Grading Blastoise — FAQ
Is Blastoise worth grading?
A PSA 10 Blastoise sells for $200 against $18.32 raw: a $181 spread, 11× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($50.15) 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 Blastoise worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Blastoise (Plasma Blast 16/101) sells for about $200 versus $18.32 for a raw near-mint copy — a 11× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Blastoise?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $894, ahead of CGC 10 at $295. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Blastoise 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 Blastoise break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Blastoise breaks even when it gems about 12% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $50.15).
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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