Is Energy Search worth grading?
Pokémon · Expedition Base Set · 153/165 · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 127× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Energy Search sells for $79.77 against $0.63 raw: a $79.14 spread, 127× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($15.41) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $0.63
- PSA 10
- $79.77
- PSA 9
- $15.41
- Gem premium
- 127×
- 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 | $79.77 | +$54.14 | +$29.14 | −$70.86 |
| PSA 9 | $15.41 | −$10.22 | −$35.22 | −$135 |
| PSA 8 | $17.52 | −$8.11 | −$33.11 | −$133 |
Net = sale price − $0.63 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% | $31.50 | −$19.13 |
| 50% | $47.59 | −$3.04 |
| 75% | $63.68 | +$13.05 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 55%. 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 | $79.77 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $37.00 | −$42.77 | 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 | SGC |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $50.59 | $37.00 | — |
| 9.5 | — | $9.22 | $25.00 |
| 9 | $59.55 | $12.00 | — |
| 8.5 | — | $9.97 | — |
| 8 | $29.99 | $30.00 | — |
| 7 | $24.00 | — | — |
| 6 | $20.97 | — | — |
| 5 | $29.99 | — | — |
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 Energy Search — FAQ
Is Energy Search worth grading?
A PSA 10 Energy Search sells for $79.77 against $0.63 raw: a $79.14 spread, 127× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($15.41) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
How much is a PSA 10 Energy Search worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Energy Search (Expedition Base Set 153/165) sells for about $79.77 versus $0.63 for a raw near-mint copy — a 127× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Energy Search?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $79.77, ahead of CGC 10 at $37.00. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Energy Search 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 Energy Search break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Energy Search breaks even when it gems about 55% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $15.41).
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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