Is Surprise! Time Machine worth grading?
Pokémon · Team Rocket Returns · 91/109 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Surprise! Time Machine sells for $64.21 against $7.70 raw: a $56.51 spread, 8.3× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($74.47) 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)
- $7.70
- PSA 10
- $64.21
- PSA 9
- $74.47
- Gem premium
- 8.3×
- 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 | $64.21 | +$31.51 | +$6.51 | −$93.49 |
| PSA 9 | $74.47 | +$41.77 | +$16.77 | −$83.23 |
| PSA 8 | $49.87 | +$17.17 | −$7.83 | −$108 |
Net = sale price − $7.70 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% | $71.91 | +$14.20 |
| 50% | $69.34 | +$11.64 |
| 75% | $66.78 | +$9.08 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA 10 | $722 | 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 | $722 | — | — |
| 9.5 | — | $50.00 | — |
| 9 | $44.81 | $16.99 | $8.50 |
| 8.5 | — | $25.00 | — |
| 8 | $91.42 | $27.95 | — |
| 6 | $18.48 | — | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other Team Rocket Returns cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Surprise! Time Machine — FAQ
Is Surprise! Time Machine worth grading?
A PSA 10 Surprise! Time Machine sells for $64.21 against $7.70 raw: a $56.51 spread, 8.3× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($74.47) 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 Surprise! Time Machine worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Surprise! Time Machine (Team Rocket Returns 91/109) sells for about $64.21 versus $7.70 for a raw near-mint copy — a 8.3× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
What centering does Surprise! Time Machine 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.
Check my card free