Is Steelix worth grading?
Pokémon · HS—Unleashed · 24/95 · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 12× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Steelix sells for $167 against $14.08 raw: a $153 spread, 12× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($37.85) 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)
- $14.08
- PSA 10
- $167
- PSA 9
- $37.85
- Gem premium
- 12×
- 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 | $167 | +$128 | +$103 | +$3.28 |
| PSA 9 | $37.85 | −$1.23 | −$26.23 | −$126 |
| PSA 8 | $110 | +$70.91 | +$45.91 | −$54.09 |
Net = sale price − $14.08 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% | $70.23 | +$6.15 |
| 50% | $103 | +$38.53 |
| 75% | $135 | +$70.90 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 20%. 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 | $167 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $21.47 | −$146 | 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 | $66.30 | $20.72 |
| 9.5 | — | $39.85 |
| 9 | $20.00 | $19.63 |
| 8.5 | — | $19.99 |
| 8 | $110 | — |
| 7.5 | — | $9.99 |
| 7 | $15.50 | — |
| 6.5 | — | $2.00 |
| 6 | $41.97 | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other HS—Unleashed cards worth checking
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Grading Steelix — FAQ
Is Steelix worth grading?
A PSA 10 Steelix sells for $167 against $14.08 raw: a $153 spread, 12× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($37.85) 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 Steelix worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Steelix (HS—Unleashed 24/95) sells for about $167 versus $14.08 for a raw near-mint copy — a 12× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Steelix?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $167, ahead of CGC 10 at $21.47. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Steelix 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 Steelix break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Steelix breaks even when it gems about 20% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $37.85).
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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