Is Lugia worth grading?
Pokémon · Neo Genesis · 9/111 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Lugia sells for $37,907 against $166 raw: a $37,742 spread, 229× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($13,903) 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)
- $166
- PSA 10
- $37,907
- PSA 9
- $13,903
- Gem premium
- 229×
- As of
- Aug 16, 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 | $37,907 | +$37,717 | +$37,692 | +$37,592 |
| PSA 9 | $13,903 | +$13,713 | +$13,688 | +$13,588 |
| PSA 8 | $5,812 | +$5,622 | +$5,597 | +$5,497 |
Net = sale price − $166 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% | $19,904 | +$19,689 |
| 50% | $25,905 | +$25,690 |
| 75% | $31,906 | +$31,691 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
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 | $37,907 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $12,248 | −$25,659 | 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 | SGC | TAG | ACE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $8,786 | $4,561 | — | — | — | — |
| 9.5 | — | $1,740 | $1,843 | — | — | — |
| 9 | $2,718 | $1,368 | $1,421 | $669 | $1,200 | — |
| 8.5 | $1,149 | $776 | $1,054 | $306 | $983 | — |
| 8 | $1,210 | $713 | $853 | $581 | $1,003 | — |
| 7.5 | $380 | $449 | $475 | — | $781 | — |
| 7 | $854 | $429 | $899 | $269 | $635 | — |
| 6.5 | — | $215 | $385 | — | — | — |
| 6 | $579 | $378 | $199 | $320 | $1,986 | $412 |
| 5.5 | — | $181 | $426 | — | $250 | — |
| 5 | $543 | $143 | $321 | $200 | — | $86.00 |
| 4.5 | — | $102 | $1,083 | — | $392 | — |
| 4 | $372 | $245 | $343 | $373 | $341 | — |
| 3.5 | — | $208 | $75.00 | $140 | $328 | — |
| 3 | $344 | $151 | $355 | $213 | — | — |
| 2.5 | — | $200 | $158 | — | — | — |
| 2 | $275 | $179 | — | $78.00 | — | — |
| 1.5 | $193 | $169 | — | — | — | — |
| 1 | $287 | $264 | — | — | — | $196 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other Neo Genesis cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Lugia — FAQ
Is Lugia worth grading?
A PSA 10 Lugia sells for $37,907 against $166 raw: a $37,742 spread, 229× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($13,903) 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 Lugia worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Lugia (Neo Genesis 9/111) sells for about $37,907 versus $166 for a raw near-mint copy — a 229× premium as of Aug 16, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Lugia?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $37,907, ahead of CGC 10 at $12,248. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Lugia 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.
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