Is Steelix worth grading?
Pokémon · Aquapolis · H23/H32 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Steelix sells for $2,525 against $300 raw: a $2,225 spread, 8.4× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($1,050) 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)
- $300
- PSA 10
- $2,525
- PSA 9
- $1,050
- Gem premium
- 8.4×
- 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 | $2,525 | +$2,200 | +$2,175 | +$2,075 |
| PSA 9 | $1,050 | +$725 | +$700 | +$600 |
| PSA 8 | $681 | +$356 | +$331 | +$231 |
Net = sale price − $300 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% | $1,419 | +$1,069 |
| 50% | $1,787 | +$1,438 |
| 75% | $2,156 | +$1,806 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
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 | $2,525 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $1,494 | −$1,031 | 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 | BGS | SGC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $2,525 | $1,494 | — | — |
| 9.5 | — | $198 | $1,426 | — |
| 9 | $1,050 | $347 | $170 | — |
| 8.5 | — | $699 | $223 | $220 |
| 8 | $681 | $224 | — | — |
| 7.5 | — | $449 | $238 | — |
| 7 | $456 | — | — | — |
| 6.5 | — | — | $99.00 | — |
| 6 | $224 | — | — | $100 |
| 5 | $206 | — | — | — |
| 4 | $189 | — | — | — |
| 2 | $56.00 | — | — | — |
| 1.5 | — | $50.00 | — | — |
| 1 | $130 | — | — | — |
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 $2,525 against $300 raw: a $2,225 spread, 8.4× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($1,050) 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 H23/H32) sells for about $2,525 versus $300 for a raw near-mint copy — a 8.4× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Steelix?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $2,525, ahead of CGC 10 at $1,494. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Steelix 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.
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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