Is Steelix worth grading?
Pokémon · Stormfront · 28/100 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 9 Steelix sells for $125 against $3.85 raw: a $121 spread, 32× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($30.00) 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)
- $3.85
- PSA 9
- $125
- PSA 9
- $30.00
- Gem premium
- 32×
- 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 | $125 | +$96.15 | +$71.15 | −$28.85 |
| PSA 9 | $30.00 | +$1.15 | −$23.85 | −$124 |
| PSA 8 | $16.00 | −$12.85 | −$37.85 | −$138 |
Net = sale price − $3.85 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% | $53.75 | −$0.10 |
| 50% | $77.50 | +$23.65 |
| 75% | $101 | +$47.40 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 25%. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses — measure it before you decide.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | PSA | CGC |
|---|---|---|
| 9 | $125 | $16.00 |
| 8.5 | — | $8.54 |
| 8 | $16.00 | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other Stormfront cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Steelix — FAQ
Is Steelix worth grading?
A PSA 9 Steelix sells for $125 against $3.85 raw: a $121 spread, 32× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($30.00) 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.
What gem rate makes grading Steelix break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Steelix breaks even when it gems about 25% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $30.00).
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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