Is Volkner's Philosophy worth grading?
Pokémon · Rising Rivals · 98/111 · full price guide →
Grading rarely pays for this card
PSA 8 copies of Volkner's Philosophy sell for $11.50, only $11.08 above the $0.42 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($2.00) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
- Raw (NM)
- $0.42
- PSA 8
- $11.50
- PSA 9
- $2.00
- Gem premium
- 27×
- 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 8 | $11.50 | −$13.92 | −$38.92 | −$139 |
| PSA 9 | $2.00 | −$23.42 | −$48.42 | −$148 |
| PSA 8 | $11.50 | −$13.92 | −$38.92 | −$139 |
Net = sale price − $0.42 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% | $4.38 | −$46.05 |
| 50% | $6.75 | −$43.67 |
| 75% | $9.13 | −$41.30 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
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Grading Volkner's Philosophy — FAQ
Is Volkner's Philosophy worth grading?
PSA 8 copies of Volkner's Philosophy sell for $11.50, only $11.08 above the $0.42 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($2.00) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
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