Is Steelix worth grading?
Pokémon · Aquapolis · 35/147 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Steelix sells for $127 against $43.52 raw: a $83.73 spread, 2.9× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($85.94) 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)
- $43.52
- PSA 10
- $127
- PSA 9
- $85.94
- Gem premium
- 2.9×
- 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 | $127 | +$58.73 | +$33.73 | −$66.27 |
| PSA 9 | $85.94 | +$17.42 | −$7.58 | −$108 |
| PSA 8 | $17.69 | −$50.83 | −$75.83 | −$176 |
Net = sale price − $43.52 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% | $96.27 | +$2.75 |
| 50% | $107 | +$13.07 |
| 75% | $117 | +$23.40 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 18%. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CGC 10 | $396 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| PSA 10 | $146 | −$249 | 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 | ACE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $146 | $87.75 | — | $186 |
| 9.5 | — | $33.00 | — | — |
| 9 | $400 | $192 | — | — |
| 8.5 | — | $70.00 | — | — |
| 8 | $218 | $34.00 | $25.00 | — |
| 7 | $46.86 | $80.00 | — | — |
| 6 | $48.98 | — | — | — |
| 5 | — | $10.00 | — | — |
| 4 | — | $11.00 | — | — |
| 3 | $19.00 | — | — | — |
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 Steelix — FAQ
Is Steelix worth grading?
A PSA 10 Steelix sells for $127 against $43.52 raw: a $83.73 spread, 2.9× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($85.94) 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 Steelix worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Steelix (Aquapolis 35/147) sells for about $127 versus $43.52 for a raw near-mint copy — a 2.9× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Steelix?
By resale value, CGC 10 leads at $396, ahead of PSA 10 at $146. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Steelix need for a CGC 10?
CGC 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 Steelix break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Steelix breaks even when it gems about 18% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $85.94).
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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