Is Rayquaza worth grading?
Pokémon · Ascended Heroes · 153/217 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Rayquaza sells for $260 against $0.40 raw: a $260 spread, 650× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($26.04) 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)
- $0.40
- PSA 10
- $260
- PSA 9
- $26.04
- Gem premium
- 650×
- 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 | $260 | +$235 | +$210 | +$110 |
| PSA 9 | $26.04 | +$0.64 | −$24.36 | −$124 |
| PSA 8 | $31.00 | +$5.60 | −$19.40 | −$119 |
Net = sale price − $0.40 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% | $84.52 | +$34.11 |
| 50% | $143 | +$92.59 |
| 75% | $201 | +$151 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 10%. 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 | $300 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| TAG 10 | $179 | −$121 | 55/45 | 72/28 |
| CGC 10 | $53.47 | −$247 | 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 | TAG | ACE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $300 | $18.00 | $179 | — |
| 9 | $22.50 | $7.52 | — | $17.80 |
| 8 | $31.00 | — | — | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other Ascended Heroes cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Rayquaza — FAQ
Is Rayquaza worth grading?
A PSA 10 Rayquaza sells for $260 against $0.40 raw: a $260 spread, 650× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($26.04) 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 Rayquaza worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Rayquaza (Ascended Heroes 153/217) sells for about $260 versus $0.40 for a raw near-mint copy — a 650× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Rayquaza?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $300, ahead of TAG 10 at $179. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Rayquaza 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 Rayquaza break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Rayquaza breaks even when it gems about 10% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $26.04).
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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