Is Darkness Energy worth grading?
Pokémon · Emerald · 86/106 · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 160× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Darkness Energy sells for $271 against $1.69 raw: a $269 spread, 160× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($11.99) 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)
- $1.69
- PSA 10
- $271
- PSA 9
- $11.99
- Gem premium
- 160×
- 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 | $271 | +$244 | +$219 | +$119 |
| PSA 9 | $11.99 | −$14.70 | −$39.70 | −$140 |
| PSA 8 | $65.00 | +$38.31 | +$13.31 | −$86.69 |
Net = sale price − $1.69 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% | $76.65 | +$24.96 |
| 50% | $141 | +$89.63 |
| 75% | $206 | +$154 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 15%. 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 | $419 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $150 | −$269 | 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 | $419 | $150 |
| 9.5 | — | $49.99 |
| 9 | $11.99 | $30.00 |
| 8.5 | — | $34.86 |
| 8 | $65.00 | — |
| 7 | $15.50 | — |
| 6 | $20.00 | — |
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 Darkness Energy — FAQ
Is Darkness Energy worth grading?
A PSA 10 Darkness Energy sells for $271 against $1.69 raw: a $269 spread, 160× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($11.99) 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 Darkness Energy worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Darkness Energy (Emerald 86/106) sells for about $271 versus $1.69 for a raw near-mint copy — a 160× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Darkness Energy?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $419, ahead of CGC 10 at $150. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Darkness 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 Darkness Energy break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Darkness Energy breaks even when it gems about 15% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $11.99).
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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