Is Illumise worth grading?
Pokémon · Delta Species · 45/113 · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 77× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Illumise sells for $128 against $1.66 raw: a $126 spread, 77× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($10.49) 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)
- $1.66
- PSA 10
- $128
- PSA 9
- $10.49
- Gem premium
- 77×
- 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 | $128 | +$101 | +$76.06 | −$23.94 |
| PSA 9 | $10.49 | −$16.17 | −$41.17 | −$141 |
| PSA 8 | $32.68 | +$6.02 | −$18.98 | −$119 |
Net = sale price − $1.66 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% | $39.80 | −$11.86 |
| 50% | $69.11 | +$17.45 |
| 75% | $98.41 | +$46.75 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 35%. 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 | $128 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $74.99 | −$52.73 | 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 | $128 | $74.99 |
| 9.5 | — | $14.00 |
| 9 | $10.49 | $29.89 |
| 8.5 | — | $10.00 |
| 8 | $32.68 | $13.00 |
| 4 | $14.00 | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other Delta Species cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Illumise — FAQ
Is Illumise worth grading?
A PSA 10 Illumise sells for $128 against $1.66 raw: a $126 spread, 77× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($10.49) 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 Illumise worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Illumise (Delta Species 45/113) sells for about $128 versus $1.66 for a raw near-mint copy — a 77× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Illumise?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $128, ahead of CGC 10 at $74.99. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Illumise 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 Illumise break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Illumise breaks even when it gems about 35% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $10.49).
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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