Is Illumise worth grading?
Pokémon · Great Encounters · 71/106 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Illumise sells for $134 against $0.33 raw: a $134 spread, 406× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($26.50) 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)
- $0.33
- PSA 10
- $134
- PSA 9
- $26.50
- Gem premium
- 406×
- 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 | $134 | +$109 | +$83.67 | −$16.33 |
| PSA 9 | $26.50 | +$1.17 | −$23.83 | −$124 |
Net = sale price − $0.33 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% | $53.38 | +$3.05 |
| 50% | $80.25 | +$29.92 |
| 75% | $107 | +$56.80 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 22%. 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 | $134 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $24.89 | −$109 | 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 | $134 | $24.89 |
| 9 | $26.50 | $7.53 |
| 8.5 | — | $4.00 |
Run your own numbers
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Other Great Encounters cards worth checking
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Grading Illumise — FAQ
Is Illumise worth grading?
A PSA 10 Illumise sells for $134 against $0.33 raw: a $134 spread, 406× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($26.50) 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 Illumise worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Illumise (Great Encounters 71/106) sells for about $134 versus $0.33 for a raw near-mint copy — a 406× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Illumise?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $134, ahead of CGC 10 at $24.89. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Illumise 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 Illumise break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Illumise breaks even when it gems about 22% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $26.50).
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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