Is Water Energy worth grading?
Pokémon · Emerald · 103/106 · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 4.9× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Water Energy sells for $81.99 against $16.69 raw: a $65.30 spread, 4.9× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($18.32) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $16.69
- PSA 10
- $81.99
- PSA 9
- $18.32
- Gem premium
- 4.9×
- 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 | $81.99 | +$40.30 | +$15.30 | −$84.70 |
| PSA 9 | $18.32 | −$23.37 | −$48.37 | −$148 |
| PSA 8 | $39.40 | −$2.29 | −$27.29 | −$127 |
Net = sale price − $16.69 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% | $34.24 | −$32.45 |
| 50% | $50.16 | −$16.53 |
| 75% | $66.07 | −$0.62 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 76%. 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 | $81.99 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $20.00 | −$61.99 | 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 | $81.99 | $20.00 |
| 9.5 | — | $17.00 |
| 9 | $18.32 | $26.00 |
| 8.5 | — | $24.99 |
| 8 | $39.40 | — |
| 7 | $24.94 | — |
| 6 | $20.05 | — |
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 Water Energy — FAQ
Is Water Energy worth grading?
A PSA 10 Water Energy sells for $81.99 against $16.69 raw: a $65.30 spread, 4.9× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($18.32) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
How much is a PSA 10 Water Energy worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Water Energy (Emerald 103/106) sells for about $81.99 versus $16.69 for a raw near-mint copy — a 4.9× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Water Energy?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $81.99, ahead of CGC 10 at $20.00. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Water 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 Water Energy break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Water Energy breaks even when it gems about 76% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $18.32).
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