Is Salamence worth grading?
Pokémon · Plasma Blast · 64/101 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Salamence sells for $800 against $8.26 raw: a $792 spread, 97× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($88.68) 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)
- $8.26
- PSA 10
- $800
- PSA 9
- $88.68
- Gem premium
- 97×
- 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 | $800 | +$767 | +$742 | +$642 |
| PSA 9 | $88.68 | +$55.42 | +$30.42 | −$69.58 |
| PSA 8 | $37.78 | +$4.52 | −$20.48 | −$120 |
Net = sale price − $8.26 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% | $267 | +$208 |
| 50% | $444 | +$386 |
| 75% | $622 | +$564 |
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 | $800 | best | 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 →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 Salamence — FAQ
Is Salamence worth grading?
A PSA 10 Salamence sells for $800 against $8.26 raw: a $792 spread, 97× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($88.68) 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 Salamence worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Salamence (Plasma Blast 64/101) sells for about $800 versus $8.26 for a raw near-mint copy — a 97× premium as of Sep 27, 2026.
What centering does Salamence 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.
Best on iPhone & Android
Check your Pokémon card in the Midpoint app
Scan with your camera to measure centering to the millimeter, get an AI grade with corner and edge close-ups, see what your copy is worth, and track it in your portfolio. Free to start.