Is Lightning Energy worth grading?
Pokémon · Emerald · 104/106 · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 6.6× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Lightning Energy sells for $137 against $20.74 raw: a $117 spread, 6.6× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($13.54) 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)
- $20.74
- PSA 10
- $137
- PSA 9
- $13.54
- Gem premium
- 6.6×
- 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 | $137 | +$91.72 | +$66.72 | −$33.28 |
| PSA 9 | $13.54 | −$32.20 | −$57.20 | −$157 |
| PSA 8 | $18.31 | −$27.43 | −$52.43 | −$152 |
Net = sale price − $20.74 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% | $44.52 | −$26.22 |
| 50% | $75.50 | +$4.76 |
| 75% | $106 | +$35.74 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 46%. 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 | $137 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $26.00 | −$111 | 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 | $137 | $26.00 |
| 9.5 | — | $10.00 |
| 9 | $13.54 | $24.91 |
| 8 | $18.31 | $8.88 |
| 6 | $12.00 | — |
| 5.5 | — | $4.00 |
| 5 | $11.51 | — |
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
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Grading Lightning Energy — FAQ
Is Lightning Energy worth grading?
A PSA 10 Lightning Energy sells for $137 against $20.74 raw: a $117 spread, 6.6× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($13.54) 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 Lightning Energy worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Lightning Energy (Emerald 104/106) sells for about $137 versus $20.74 for a raw near-mint copy — a 6.6× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Lightning Energy?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $137, ahead of CGC 10 at $26.00. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Lightning 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 Lightning Energy break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Lightning Energy breaks even when it gems about 46% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $13.54).
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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