Is Energy Search worth grading?
Pokémon · Ruby & Sapphire · 90/109 · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 471× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Energy Search sells for $94.18 against $0.20 raw: a $93.98 spread, 471× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($12.50) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $0.20
- PSA 10
- $94.18
- PSA 9
- $12.50
- Gem premium
- 471×
- 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 | $94.18 | +$68.98 | +$43.98 | −$56.02 |
| PSA 9 | $12.50 | −$12.70 | −$37.70 | −$138 |
Net = sale price − $0.20 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% | $32.92 | −$17.28 |
| 50% | $53.34 | +$3.14 |
| 75% | $73.76 | +$23.56 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 46%. 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 | $94.18 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $28.77 | −$65.41 | 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 | $94.18 | $28.77 |
| 9 | $12.50 | — |
| 8.5 | — | $7.00 |
| 7 | — | $8.00 |
Run your own numbers
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Grading Energy Search — FAQ
Is Energy Search worth grading?
A PSA 10 Energy Search sells for $94.18 against $0.20 raw: a $93.98 spread, 471× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($12.50) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
How much is a PSA 10 Energy Search worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Energy Search (Ruby & Sapphire 90/109) sells for about $94.18 versus $0.20 for a raw near-mint copy — a 471× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Energy Search?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $94.18, ahead of CGC 10 at $28.77. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Energy Search 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 Energy Search break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Energy Search breaks even when it gems about 46% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $12.50).
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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