Is Volcarona worth grading?
Pokémon · Dark Explorers · 22/108 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Volcarona sells for $799 against $2.34 raw: a $797 spread, 341× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($32.99) 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)
- $2.34
- PSA 10
- $799
- PSA 9
- $32.99
- Gem premium
- 341×
- 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 | $799 | +$772 | +$747 | +$647 |
| PSA 9 | $32.99 | +$5.65 | −$19.35 | −$119 |
| PSA 8 | $62.35 | +$35.01 | +$10.01 | −$89.99 |
Net = sale price − $2.34 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% | $224 | +$172 |
| 50% | $416 | +$364 |
| 75% | $607 | +$555 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 3%. 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 | $799 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $70.00 | −$729 | 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | $125 | $70.00 |
| 9 | $32.99 | — |
| 8 | $62.35 | $7.00 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other Dark Explorers cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Volcarona — FAQ
Is Volcarona worth grading?
A PSA 10 Volcarona sells for $799 against $2.34 raw: a $797 spread, 341× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($32.99) 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 Volcarona worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Volcarona (Dark Explorers 22/108) sells for about $799 versus $2.34 for a raw near-mint copy — a 341× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Volcarona?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $799, ahead of CGC 10 at $70.00. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Volcarona 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 Volcarona break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Volcarona breaks even when it gems about 3% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $32.99).
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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