Is Torchic worth grading?
Pokémon · Nintendo Black Star Promos · 017 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Torchic sells for $90.74 against $23.78 raw: a $66.96 spread, 3.8× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($99.80) 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)
- $23.78
- PSA 10
- $90.74
- PSA 9
- $99.80
- Gem premium
- 3.8×
- 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 | $90.74 | +$41.96 | +$16.96 | −$83.04 |
| PSA 9 | $99.80 | +$51.02 | +$26.02 | −$73.98 |
| PSA 8 | $64.95 | +$16.17 | −$8.83 | −$109 |
Net = sale price − $23.78 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% | $97.53 | +$23.75 |
| 50% | $95.27 | +$21.49 |
| 75% | $93.00 | +$19.22 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
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 | $90.74 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $73.82 | −$16.92 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $90.74 | $26.00 | — |
| 9.5 | — | $28.00 | — |
| 9 | $95.03 | $103 | $133 |
| 8.5 | — | $48.87 | — |
| 8 | $59.96 | — | — |
| 7 | $32.71 | — | — |
| 6 | $6.00 | — | — |
| 5.5 | — | $27.00 | — |
| 4 | $25.00 | — | — |
| 2 | $54.00 | — | — |
| 1 | $100 | — | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other Nintendo Black Star Promos cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Torchic — FAQ
Is Torchic worth grading?
A PSA 10 Torchic sells for $90.74 against $23.78 raw: a $66.96 spread, 3.8× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($99.80) 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 Torchic worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Torchic (Nintendo Black Star Promos 017) sells for about $90.74 versus $23.78 for a raw near-mint copy — a 3.8× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Torchic?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $90.74, ahead of CGC 10 at $73.82. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Torchic 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.
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