Is Ho-Oh worth grading?
Pokémon · Chaos Rising · 010/086 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Ho-Oh sells for $690 against $0.18 raw: a $690 spread, 3833× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($45.67) 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)
- $0.18
- PSA 10
- $690
- PSA 9
- $45.67
- Gem premium
- 3833×
- As of
- Aug 15, 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 | $690 | +$665 | +$640 | +$540 |
| PSA 9 | $45.67 | +$20.49 | −$4.51 | −$105 |
| PSA 8 | $12.84 | −$12.34 | −$37.34 | −$137 |
Net = sale price − $0.18 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% | $207 | +$157 |
| 50% | $368 | +$318 |
| 75% | $529 | +$479 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 1%. 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 | $690 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $125 | −$565 | 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 | $690 | $29.98 |
| 9 | $14.00 | — |
| 8 | $12.84 | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other Chaos Rising cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Ho-Oh — FAQ
Is Ho-Oh worth grading?
A PSA 10 Ho-Oh sells for $690 against $0.18 raw: a $690 spread, 3833× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($45.67) 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 Ho-Oh worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Ho-Oh (Chaos Rising 010/086) sells for about $690 versus $0.18 for a raw near-mint copy — a 3833× premium as of Aug 15, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Ho-Oh?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $690, ahead of CGC 10 at $125. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Ho-Oh 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 Ho-Oh break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Ho-Oh breaks even when it gems about 1% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $45.67).
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