Is Riolu worth grading?
Pokémon · POP Series 6 · 8/17 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 8 Riolu sells for $85.00 against $29.58 raw: a $55.42 spread, 2.9× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($60.00) 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)
- $29.58
- PSA 8
- $85.00
- PSA 9
- $60.00
- Gem premium
- 2.9×
- 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 | $85.00 | +$30.42 | +$5.42 | −$94.58 |
| PSA 9 | $60.00 | +$5.42 | −$19.58 | −$120 |
| PSA 8 | $85.00 | +$30.42 | +$5.42 | −$94.58 |
Net = sale price − $29.58 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% | $66.25 | −$13.33 |
| 50% | $72.50 | −$7.08 |
| 75% | $78.75 | −$0.83 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 78%. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses — measure it before you decide.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | PSA | CGC |
|---|---|---|
| 9 | $60.00 | $69.99 |
| 8 | $85.00 | $20.00 |
| 7 | $46.61 | — |
| 6 | $14.50 | — |
| 5 | $10.50 | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other POP Series 6 cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Riolu — FAQ
Is Riolu worth grading?
A PSA 8 Riolu sells for $85.00 against $29.58 raw: a $55.42 spread, 2.9× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($60.00) 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.
What gem rate makes grading Riolu break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Riolu breaks even when it gems about 78% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $60.00).
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