Is Steelix worth grading?
Pokémon · Mega Evolution · 150/132 · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 8.3× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Steelix sells for $66.54 against $8.04 raw: a $58.50 spread, 8.3× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($21.34) 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)
- $8.04
- PSA 10
- $66.54
- PSA 9
- $21.34
- Gem premium
- 8.3×
- 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 | $66.54 | +$33.50 | +$8.50 | −$91.50 |
| PSA 9 | $21.34 | −$11.70 | −$36.70 | −$137 |
| PSA 8 | $12.79 | −$20.25 | −$45.25 | −$145 |
Net = sale price − $8.04 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% | $32.64 | −$25.40 |
| 50% | $43.94 | −$14.10 |
| 75% | $55.24 | −$2.80 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 81%. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BGS 10 | $216 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| TAG 10 | $72.08 | −$143 | 55/45 | 72/28 |
| PSA 10 | $66.54 | −$149 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $24.73 | −$191 | 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 | TAG | ACE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $66.54 | $24.73 | $216 | $72.08 | $48.53 |
| 9.5 | — | $9.60 | $35.39 | — | — |
| 9 | $21.34 | $12.77 | $11.28 | $21.16 | $22.41 |
| 8.5 | — | — | $24.99 | — | — |
| 8 | $12.79 | — | — | — | — |
| 7.5 | — | $7.00 | — | — | — |
| 7 | $11.50 | — | — | — | — |
| 6 | $7.98 | — | — | — | — |
| 5 | $11.02 | — | — | — | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other Mega Evolution cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Steelix — FAQ
Is Steelix worth grading?
A PSA 10 Steelix sells for $66.54 against $8.04 raw: a $58.50 spread, 8.3× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($21.34) 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 (Mega Evolution 150/132) sells for about $66.54 versus $8.04 for a raw near-mint copy — a 8.3× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Steelix?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $216, ahead of TAG 10 at $72.08. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Steelix need for a BGS 10?
BGS publishes 55/45 front and 70/30 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 81% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $21.34).
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.
Check my card free