Is Illumise worth grading?
Pokémon · Sandstorm · 38/100 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Illumise sells for $117 against $3.55 raw: a $113 spread, 33× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($83.29) 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)
- $3.55
- PSA 10
- $117
- PSA 9
- $83.29
- Gem premium
- 33×
- 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 | $117 | +$88.14 | +$63.14 | −$36.86 |
| PSA 9 | $83.29 | +$54.74 | +$29.74 | −$70.26 |
| PSA 8 | $13.00 | −$15.55 | −$40.55 | −$141 |
Net = sale price − $3.55 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% | $91.64 | +$38.09 |
| 50% | $99.99 | +$46.44 |
| 75% | $108 | +$54.79 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
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 | $168 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $147 | −$20.96 | 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 | ACE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $168 | $147 | — | — |
| 9.5 | — | $43.00 | — | — |
| 9 | $83.29 | $29.99 | — | — |
| 8 | $13.00 | — | — | — |
| 7.5 | — | — | $21.00 | — |
| 7 | $8.01 | — | — | $12.09 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other Sandstorm cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Illumise — FAQ
Is Illumise worth grading?
A PSA 10 Illumise sells for $117 against $3.55 raw: a $113 spread, 33× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($83.29) 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 Illumise worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Illumise (Sandstorm 38/100) sells for about $117 versus $3.55 for a raw near-mint copy — a 33× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Illumise?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $168, ahead of CGC 10 at $147. 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.
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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