Is Tickling Machine worth grading?
Pokémon · Gym Heroes · 119/132 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Tickling Machine sells for $368 against $5.17 raw: a $363 spread, 71× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($36.80) 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)
- $5.17
- PSA 10
- $368
- PSA 9
- $36.80
- Gem premium
- 71×
- 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 | $368 | +$338 | +$313 | +$213 |
| PSA 9 | $36.80 | +$6.63 | −$18.37 | −$118 |
| PSA 8 | $24.96 | −$5.21 | −$30.21 | −$130 |
Net = sale price − $5.17 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% | $120 | +$64.39 |
| 50% | $202 | +$147 |
| 75% | $285 | +$230 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 6%. 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 | $368 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $199 | −$169 | 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 | BGS |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $35.00 | $199 | — |
| 9.5 | — | $15.50 | $11.00 |
| 9 | $36.80 | $15.00 | — |
| 8.5 | — | $10.00 | — |
| 8 | $13.00 | — | — |
| 7 | — | $5.50 | — |
| 5 | $7.00 | — | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other Gym Heroes cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Tickling Machine — FAQ
Is Tickling Machine worth grading?
A PSA 10 Tickling Machine sells for $368 against $5.17 raw: a $363 spread, 71× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($36.80) 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 Tickling Machine worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Tickling Machine (Gym Heroes 119/132) sells for about $368 versus $5.17 for a raw near-mint copy — a 71× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Tickling Machine?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $368, ahead of CGC 10 at $199. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Tickling 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.
What gem rate makes grading Tickling Machine break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Tickling Machine breaks even when it gems about 6% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $36.80).
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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