Is Water Cube 01 worth grading?
Pokémon · Aquapolis · 140/147 · full price guide →
Grading rarely pays for this card
PSA 8 copies of Water Cube 01 sell for $19.00, only $17.17 above the $1.83 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($10.00) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
- Raw (NM)
- $1.83
- PSA 8
- $19.00
- PSA 9
- $10.00
- Gem premium
- 10×
- 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 8 | $19.00 | −$7.83 | −$32.83 | −$133 |
| PSA 9 | $10.00 | −$16.83 | −$41.83 | −$142 |
| PSA 8 | $12.50 | −$14.33 | −$39.33 | −$139 |
Net = sale price − $1.83 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% | $12.25 | −$39.58 |
| 50% | $14.50 | −$37.33 |
| 75% | $16.75 | −$35.08 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
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Grading Water Cube 01 — FAQ
Is Water Cube 01 worth grading?
PSA 8 copies of Water Cube 01 sell for $19.00, only $17.17 above the $1.83 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($10.00) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
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