Is Alph Lithograph worth grading?
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Strong grading candidate — 5.4× premium in CGC 10
A CGC 10 Alph Lithograph sells for $714 against $132 raw: a $582 spread, 5.4× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($126) 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)
- $132
- CGC 10
- $714
- PSA 9
- $126
- Gem premium
- 5.4×
- 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 — CGC 10 | $714 | +$557 | +$532 | +$432 |
| PSA 9 | $126 | −$30.80 | −$55.80 | −$156 |
| PSA 8 | $58.47 | −$98.49 | −$123 | −$223 |
Net = sale price − $132 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% | $273 | +$91.16 |
| 50% | $420 | +$238 |
| 75% | $567 | +$385 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 9%. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CGC 10 | $714 | best | 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 | — | $714 | — |
| 9 | $126 | $129 | $40.95 |
| 8.5 | $90.00 | $69.50 | $26.00 |
| 8 | $58.47 | $47.00 | $66.00 |
| 7.5 | — | $69.99 | — |
| 7 | $116 | — | — |
| 6.5 | — | $48.87 | — |
| 6 | $22.00 | — | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other HeartGold & SoulSilver cards worth checking
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Grading Alph Lithograph — FAQ
Is Alph Lithograph worth grading?
A CGC 10 Alph Lithograph sells for $714 against $132 raw: a $582 spread, 5.4× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($126) 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.
What centering does Alph Lithograph need for a CGC 10?
CGC 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 Alph Lithograph break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Alph Lithograph breaks even when it gems about 9% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $126).
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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