Is Metal Energy worth grading?
Pokémon · Expedition Base Set · 159/165 · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 13× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Metal Energy sells for $94.82 against $7.50 raw: a $87.32 spread, 13× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($15.00) 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)
- $7.50
- PSA 10
- $94.82
- PSA 9
- $15.00
- Gem premium
- 13×
- 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 | $94.82 | +$62.32 | +$37.32 | −$62.68 |
| PSA 9 | $15.00 | −$17.50 | −$42.50 | −$143 |
| PSA 8 | $4.00 | −$28.50 | −$53.50 | −$154 |
Net = sale price − $7.50 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% | $34.95 | −$22.55 |
| 50% | $54.91 | −$2.59 |
| 75% | $74.86 | +$17.36 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 53%. 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 | $94.82 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $21.00 | −$73.82 | 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 | $94.82 | $21.00 |
| 9.5 | — | $1.25 |
| 9 | $52.65 | $7.00 |
| 8.5 | — | $10.00 |
| 8 | $35.25 | — |
| 7.5 | — | $15.00 |
| 7 | $14.00 | — |
| 6 | $5.01 | — |
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 Metal Energy — FAQ
Is Metal Energy worth grading?
A PSA 10 Metal Energy sells for $94.82 against $7.50 raw: a $87.32 spread, 13× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($15.00) 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 Metal Energy worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Metal Energy (Expedition Base Set 159/165) sells for about $94.82 versus $7.50 for a raw near-mint copy — a 13× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Metal Energy?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $94.82, ahead of CGC 10 at $21.00. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Metal Energy 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 Metal Energy break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Metal Energy breaks even when it gems about 53% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $15.00).
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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