Is Energy Search worth grading?
Pokémon · Crystal Guardians · 86/100 · full price guide →
Grading rarely pays for this card
PSA 8 copies of Energy Search sell for $24.49, only $24.33 above the $0.16 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($16.17) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
- Raw (NM)
- $0.16
- PSA 8
- $24.49
- PSA 9
- $16.17
- Gem premium
- 153×
- 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 8 | $24.49 | −$0.67 | −$25.67 | −$126 |
| PSA 9 | $16.17 | −$8.99 | −$33.99 | −$134 |
| PSA 8 | $18.00 | −$7.16 | −$32.16 | −$132 |
Net = sale price − $0.16 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% | $18.25 | −$31.91 |
| 50% | $20.33 | −$29.83 |
| 75% | $22.41 | −$27.75 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | PSA | CGC |
|---|---|---|
| 9.5 | — | $6.00 |
| 9 | $16.17 | $14.00 |
| 8 | $24.49 | — |
| 7 | $7.50 | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
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Grading Energy Search — FAQ
Is Energy Search worth grading?
PSA 8 copies of Energy Search sell for $24.49, only $24.33 above the $0.16 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($16.17) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
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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