Is Island Cave worth grading?
Pokémon · Hidden Legends · 89/101 · full price guide →
Worth grading only if it gems
A PSA 8 Island Cave brings $29.90 versus $1.33 raw — a $28.57 spread that covers an economy-tier ~$25 grading fee. A PSA 9 ($26.00) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming.
- Raw (NM)
- $1.33
- PSA 8
- $29.90
- PSA 9
- $26.00
- Gem premium
- 22×
- 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 | $29.90 | +$3.57 | −$21.43 | −$121 |
| PSA 9 | $26.00 | −$0.33 | −$25.33 | −$125 |
| PSA 8 | $6.00 | −$20.33 | −$45.33 | −$145 |
Net = sale price − $1.33 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% | $26.98 | −$24.35 |
| 50% | $27.95 | −$23.38 |
| 75% | $28.92 | −$22.41 |
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 | $13.00 | 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | — | $13.00 |
| 9.5 | — | $14.00 |
| 9 | $14.48 | $20.00 |
| 8.5 | — | $16.00 |
| 8 | $29.90 | — |
Run your own numbers
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Grading Island Cave — FAQ
Is Island Cave worth grading?
A PSA 8 Island Cave brings $29.90 versus $1.33 raw — a $28.57 spread that covers an economy-tier ~$25 grading fee. A PSA 9 ($26.00) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming.
What centering does Island Cave 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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