Is Thought Wave Machine worth grading?
Pokémon · Neo Destiny · 96/105 · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 3.5× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Thought Wave Machine sells for $121 against $34.10 raw: a $86.78 spread, 3.5× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($6.09) sells for less than raw, so anything short of a 10 loses money. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $34.10
- PSA 10
- $121
- PSA 9
- $6.09
- Gem premium
- 3.5×
- 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 | $121 | +$61.78 | +$36.78 | −$63.22 |
| PSA 9 | $6.09 | −$53.01 | −$78.01 | −$178 |
| PSA 8 | $24.99 | −$34.11 | −$59.11 | −$159 |
Net = sale price − $34.10 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% | $34.79 | −$49.31 |
| 50% | $63.48 | −$20.62 |
| 75% | $92.18 | +$8.08 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 68%. 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 | $201 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $64.99 | −$136 | 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 | $201 | $12.50 |
| 9.5 | — | $6.00 |
| 9 | $14.07 | $9.99 |
| 8.5 | $8.00 | — |
| 8 | $24.99 | — |
Run your own numbers
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Other Neo Destiny cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Thought Wave Machine — FAQ
Is Thought Wave Machine worth grading?
A PSA 10 Thought Wave Machine sells for $121 against $34.10 raw: a $86.78 spread, 3.5× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($6.09) sells for less than raw, so anything short of a 10 loses money. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
How much is a PSA 10 Thought Wave Machine worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Thought Wave Machine (Neo Destiny 96/105) sells for about $121 versus $34.10 for a raw near-mint copy — a 3.5× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Thought Wave Machine?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $201, ahead of CGC 10 at $64.99. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Thought Wave Machine 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 Thought Wave Machine break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Thought Wave Machine breaks even when it gems about 68% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $6.09).
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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