Is Surfer worth grading?
Pokémon · Ascended Heroes · 293/217 · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 11× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Surfer sells for $261 against $23.12 raw: a $238 spread, 11× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($43.10) 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)
- $23.12
- PSA 10
- $261
- PSA 9
- $43.10
- Gem premium
- 11×
- 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 | $261 | +$213 | +$188 | +$88.00 |
| PSA 9 | $43.10 | −$5.02 | −$30.02 | −$130 |
| PSA 8 | $38.00 | −$10.12 | −$35.12 | −$135 |
Net = sale price − $23.12 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% | $97.61 | +$24.48 |
| 50% | $152 | +$78.99 |
| 75% | $207 | +$133 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 14%. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TAG 10 | $299 | best | 55/45 | 72/28 |
| PSA 10 | $261 | −$37.51 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $62.73 | −$236 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $261 | $62.73 | $299 |
| 9 | $43.10 | — | $33.00 |
| 8.5 | — | — | $15.12 |
| 8 | $38.00 | — | — |
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 Surfer — FAQ
Is Surfer worth grading?
A PSA 10 Surfer sells for $261 against $23.12 raw: a $238 spread, 11× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($43.10) 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 Surfer worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Surfer (Ascended Heroes 293/217) sells for about $261 versus $23.12 for a raw near-mint copy — a 11× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Surfer?
By resale value, TAG 10 leads at $299, ahead of PSA 10 at $261. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Surfer need for a TAG 10?
TAG publishes 55/45 front and 72/28 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 Surfer break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Surfer breaks even when it gems about 14% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $43.10).
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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