Is Fire Energy worth grading?
Pokémon · Emerald · 102/106 · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 13× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Fire Energy sells for $275 against $20.81 raw: a $254 spread, 13× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($14.83) sells for less than raw, so anything short of a 10 loses money. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $20.81
- PSA 10
- $275
- PSA 9
- $14.83
- Gem premium
- 13×
- 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 | $275 | +$229 | +$204 | +$104 |
| PSA 9 | $14.83 | −$30.98 | −$55.98 | −$156 |
| PSA 8 | $43.46 | −$2.35 | −$27.35 | −$127 |
Net = sale price − $20.81 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% | $79.87 | +$9.06 |
| 50% | $145 | +$74.10 |
| 75% | $210 | +$139 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 22%. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses — measure it before you decide.
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 | $275 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $20.10 | −$255 | 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 | $275 | $20.10 |
| 9.5 | — | $15.00 |
| 9 | $14.83 | $21.54 |
| 8.5 | — | $5.00 |
| 8 | $43.46 | — |
| 7.5 | — | $9.87 |
| 6 | — | $10.00 |
| 5 | $15.93 | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other Emerald cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Fire Energy — FAQ
Is Fire Energy worth grading?
A PSA 10 Fire Energy sells for $275 against $20.81 raw: a $254 spread, 13× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($14.83) sells for less than raw, so anything short of a 10 loses money. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
How much is a PSA 10 Fire Energy worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Fire Energy (Emerald 102/106) sells for about $275 versus $20.81 for a raw near-mint copy — a 13× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Fire Energy?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $275, ahead of CGC 10 at $20.10. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Fire Energy 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.
What gem rate makes grading Fire Energy break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Fire Energy breaks even when it gems about 22% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $14.83).
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