Is Metal Energy worth grading?
Pokémon · Aquapolis · 143/147 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Metal Energy sells for $500 against $8.09 raw: a $492 spread, 62× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($40.26) 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)
- $8.09
- PSA 10
- $500
- PSA 9
- $40.26
- Gem premium
- 62×
- 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 | $500 | +$467 | +$442 | +$342 |
| PSA 9 | $40.26 | +$7.17 | −$17.83 | −$118 |
| PSA 8 | $4.00 | −$29.09 | −$54.09 | −$154 |
Net = sale price − $8.09 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% | $155 | +$97.10 |
| 50% | $270 | +$212 |
| 75% | $385 | +$327 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 4%. 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 | $500 | 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 | $191 | — |
| 9.5 | — | $30.00 |
| 9 | $40.26 | $10.00 |
| 8.5 | — | $24.00 |
| 8 | $22.25 | — |
| 7.5 | — | $12.80 |
| 7 | $12.00 | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other Aquapolis cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Metal Energy — FAQ
Is Metal Energy worth grading?
A PSA 10 Metal Energy sells for $500 against $8.09 raw: a $492 spread, 62× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($40.26) 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 Metal Energy worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Metal Energy (Aquapolis 143/147) sells for about $500 versus $8.09 for a raw near-mint copy — a 62× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
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 4% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $40.26).
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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