Is Basic Fighting Energy worth grading?
Pokémon · Pokémon TCG Classic - Venusaur · 034/034 · full price guide →
Grading rarely pays for this card
PSA 9 copies of Basic Fighting Energy sell for $19.05, only $18.39 above the $0.66 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($19.05) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
- Raw (NM)
- $0.66
- PSA 9
- $19.05
- PSA 9
- $19.05
- Gem premium
- 29×
- 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 9 | $19.05 | −$6.61 | −$31.61 | −$132 |
| PSA 9 | $19.05 | −$6.61 | −$31.61 | −$132 |
Net = sale price − $0.66 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% | $19.05 | −$31.61 |
| 50% | $19.05 | −$31.61 |
| 75% | $19.05 | −$31.61 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CGC 10 | $6.07 | 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 →| Grade | PSA | CGC |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | — | $6.07 |
| 9.5 | — | $15.00 |
| 9 | $19.05 | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other Pokémon TCG Classic - Venusaur cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Basic Fighting Energy — FAQ
Is Basic Fighting Energy worth grading?
PSA 9 copies of Basic Fighting Energy sell for $19.05, only $18.39 above the $0.66 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($19.05) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
What centering does Basic Fighting Energy need for a CGC 10?
CGC 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.
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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