Is Master Ball worth grading?
Pokémon · Expedition Base Set · 143/165 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Master Ball sells for $278 against $2.46 raw: a $276 spread, 113× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($162) 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)
- $2.46
- PSA 10
- $278
- PSA 9
- $162
- Gem premium
- 113×
- 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 | $278 | +$251 | +$226 | +$126 |
| PSA 9 | $162 | +$134 | +$109 | +$9.08 |
| PSA 8 | $32.71 | +$5.25 | −$19.75 | −$120 |
Net = sale price − $2.46 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% | $191 | +$138 |
| 50% | $220 | +$167 |
| 75% | $249 | +$196 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
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 | $278 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $80.18 | −$198 | 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 | $50.00 | $16.92 |
| 9.5 | — | $9.01 |
| 9 | $24.92 | $9.98 |
| 8.5 | — | $7.76 |
| 8 | $7.00 | $18.00 |
| 7 | $13.01 | — |
| 6 | $34.99 | — |
| 5.5 | — | $6.50 |
| 4.5 | — | $18.00 |
| 4 | $13.00 | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other Expedition Base Set cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Master Ball — FAQ
Is Master Ball worth grading?
A PSA 10 Master Ball sells for $278 against $2.46 raw: a $276 spread, 113× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($162) 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 Master Ball worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Master Ball (Expedition Base Set 143/165) sells for about $278 versus $2.46 for a raw near-mint copy — a 113× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Master Ball?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $278, ahead of CGC 10 at $80.18. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Master Ball 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.
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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