Is Steelix worth grading?
Pokémon · Skyridge · 31/144 · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 3.5× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Steelix sells for $298 against $85.85 raw: a $212 spread, 3.5× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($43.51) sells for less than raw, so anything short of a 10 loses money. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $85.85
- PSA 10
- $298
- PSA 9
- $43.51
- Gem premium
- 3.5×
- 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 | $298 | +$187 | +$162 | +$62.02 |
| PSA 9 | $43.51 | −$67.34 | −$92.34 | −$192 |
| PSA 8 | $34.65 | −$76.20 | −$101 | −$201 |
Net = sale price − $85.85 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% | $107 | −$28.75 |
| 50% | $171 | +$34.84 |
| 75% | $234 | +$98.43 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 36%. 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 | $883 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| BGS 10 | $400 | −$483 | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| CGC 10 | $252 | −$631 | 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 | TAG |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $883 | $252 | $400 | — |
| 9.5 | — | $39.99 | — | — |
| 9 | $180 | $66.01 | $130 | — |
| 8.5 | — | $90.00 | — | $45.00 |
| 8 | $40.83 | — | — | — |
| 7 | $29.99 | $38.00 | — | — |
| 5 | $19.45 | — | — | — |
| 1 | $48.00 | — | — | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other Skyridge cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Steelix — FAQ
Is Steelix worth grading?
A PSA 10 Steelix sells for $298 against $85.85 raw: a $212 spread, 3.5× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($43.51) sells for less than raw, so anything short of a 10 loses money. 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 (Skyridge 31/144) sells for about $298 versus $85.85 for a raw near-mint copy — a 3.5× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Steelix?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $883, ahead of BGS 10 at $400. 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.
What gem rate makes grading Steelix break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Steelix breaks even when it gems about 36% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $43.51).
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