Is Buffer Piece worth grading?
Pokémon · Dragon · 83/97 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 9 Buffer Piece sells for $44.87 against $0.57 raw: a $44.30 spread, 79× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($44.87) 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)
- $0.57
- PSA 9
- $44.87
- PSA 9
- $44.87
- Gem premium
- 79×
- 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 9 | $44.87 | +$19.30 | −$5.70 | −$106 |
| PSA 9 | $44.87 | +$19.30 | −$5.70 | −$106 |
| PSA 8 | $34.89 | +$9.32 | −$15.68 | −$116 |
Net = sale price − $0.57 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% | $44.87 | −$5.70 |
| 50% | $44.87 | −$5.70 |
| 75% | $44.87 | −$5.70 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CGC 10 | $13.50 | best | 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 | TAG |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | — | $13.50 | — |
| 9.5 | — | $15.00 | — |
| 9 | $44.87 | $7.00 | — |
| 8.5 | — | $4.00 | — |
| 8 | $39.80 | — | — |
| 7 | $19.79 | — | — |
| 4 | — | — | $1.00 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other Dragon cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Buffer Piece — FAQ
Is Buffer Piece worth grading?
A PSA 9 Buffer Piece sells for $44.87 against $0.57 raw: a $44.30 spread, 79× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($44.87) 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.
What centering does Buffer Piece need for a CGC 10?
CGC 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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