Is Salamence LV.X worth grading?
Pokémon · Arceus · 98/99 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Salamence LV.X sells for $9,871 against $104 raw: a $9,767 spread, 95× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($258) 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)
- $104
- PSA 10
- $9,871
- PSA 9
- $258
- Gem premium
- 95×
- 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 | $9,871 | +$9,742 | +$9,717 | +$9,617 |
| PSA 9 | $258 | +$129 | +$104 | +$4.40 |
| PSA 8 | $239 | +$111 | +$85.53 | −$14.47 |
Net = sale price − $104 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% | $2,661 | +$2,508 |
| 50% | $5,065 | +$4,911 |
| 75% | $7,468 | +$7,314 |
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 | $9,871 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $1,500 | −$8,371 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $9,871 | $1,500 | — | — | — |
| 9.5 | — | $350 | — | — | — |
| 9 | $258 | $220 | $255 | — | — |
| 8.5 | $292 | $47.97 | — | $79.20 | — |
| 8 | $239 | $103 | — | — | — |
| 7.5 | — | $20.00 | — | — | — |
| 7 | $105 | — | — | $15.00 | $37.19 |
| 6 | $73.67 | $29.94 | — | — | — |
| 5 | $23.20 | $13.00 | — | — | — |
| 4 | $36.99 | — | — | — | — |
| 1 | $72.33 | — | — | — | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other Arceus cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Salamence LV.X — FAQ
Is Salamence LV.X worth grading?
A PSA 10 Salamence LV.X sells for $9,871 against $104 raw: a $9,767 spread, 95× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($258) 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 Salamence LV.X worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Salamence LV.X (Arceus 98/99) sells for about $9,871 versus $104 for a raw near-mint copy — a 95× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Salamence LV.X?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $9,871, ahead of CGC 10 at $1,500. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Salamence LV.X 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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