Is Protective Orb worth grading?
Pokémon · Unseen Forces · 90/115 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Protective Orb sells for $300 against $0.35 raw: a $300 spread, 857× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($29.40) 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)
- $0.35
- PSA 10
- $300
- PSA 9
- $29.40
- Gem premium
- 857×
- 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 | $300 | +$275 | +$250 | +$150 |
| PSA 9 | $29.40 | +$4.05 | −$20.95 | −$121 |
Net = sale price − $0.35 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% | $97.05 | +$46.70 |
| 50% | $165 | +$114 |
| 75% | $232 | +$182 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 8%. 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 | $300 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $29.87 | −$270 | 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 | $300 | $29.87 |
| 9.5 | — | $12.43 |
| 9 | $29.40 | $9.40 |
| 8.5 | — | $4.84 |
| 8 | — | $6.00 |
| 7.5 | — | $10.00 |
| 7 | $20.00 | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
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Other Unseen Forces cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Protective Orb — FAQ
Is Protective Orb worth grading?
A PSA 10 Protective Orb sells for $300 against $0.35 raw: a $300 spread, 857× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($29.40) 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 Protective Orb worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Protective Orb (Unseen Forces 90/115) sells for about $300 versus $0.35 for a raw near-mint copy — a 857× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Protective Orb?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $300, ahead of CGC 10 at $29.87. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Protective Orb 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 Protective Orb break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Protective Orb breaks even when it gems about 8% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $29.40).
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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