Is Salamence worth grading?
Pokémon · Secret Wonders · 18/132 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Salamence sells for $798 against $36.96 raw: a $761 spread, 22× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($71.06) 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)
- $36.96
- PSA 10
- $798
- PSA 9
- $71.06
- Gem premium
- 22×
- 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 | $798 | +$736 | +$711 | +$611 |
| PSA 9 | $71.06 | +$9.10 | −$15.90 | −$116 |
| PSA 8 | $77.67 | +$15.71 | −$9.29 | −$109 |
Net = sale price − $36.96 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% | $253 | +$166 |
| 50% | $435 | +$348 |
| 75% | $617 | +$530 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 2%. 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 | $3,900 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $2,500 | −$1,400 | 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 | $3,900 | $2,500 |
| 9.5 | — | $32.00 |
| 9 | $82.78 | $98.19 |
| 8.5 | — | $25.97 |
| 8 | $11.50 | $35.00 |
| 7.5 | — | $49.99 |
| 7 | $5.00 | $16.96 |
| 6.5 | — | $18.94 |
| 6 | $20.58 | — |
| 5 | $1,000 | $5.00 |
| 4 | $25.00 | — |
| 3 | $20.50 | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other Secret Wonders cards worth checking
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Grading Salamence — FAQ
Is Salamence worth grading?
A PSA 10 Salamence sells for $798 against $36.96 raw: a $761 spread, 22× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($71.06) 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 (Secret Wonders 18/132) sells for about $798 versus $36.96 for a raw near-mint copy — a 22× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Salamence?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $3,900, ahead of CGC 10 at $2,500. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
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.
What gem rate makes grading Salamence break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Salamence breaks even when it gems about 2% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $71.06).
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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