Is Water Energy worth grading?
Pokémon · Expedition Base Set · 165/165 · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 27× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Water Energy sells for $60.16 against $2.22 raw: a $57.94 spread, 27× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($21.34) 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)
- $2.22
- PSA 10
- $60.16
- PSA 9
- $21.34
- Gem premium
- 27×
- 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 | $60.16 | +$32.94 | +$7.94 | −$92.06 |
| PSA 9 | $21.34 | −$5.88 | −$30.88 | −$131 |
| PSA 8 | $15.93 | −$11.29 | −$36.29 | −$136 |
Net = sale price − $2.22 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% | $31.04 | −$21.18 |
| 50% | $40.75 | −$11.47 |
| 75% | $50.45 | −$1.77 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 80%. 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 | $60.16 | best | 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 | $60.16 | — |
| 9.5 | — | $3.00 |
| 9 | $21.34 | — |
| 8 | $15.93 | — |
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 Water Energy — FAQ
Is Water Energy worth grading?
A PSA 10 Water Energy sells for $60.16 against $2.22 raw: a $57.94 spread, 27× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($21.34) 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 Water Energy worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Water Energy (Expedition Base Set 165/165) sells for about $60.16 versus $2.22 for a raw near-mint copy — a 27× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
What centering does Water 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 Water Energy break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Water Energy breaks even when it gems about 80% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $21.34).
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.
Check my card free