Is Team Rocket's Moltres ex #229 worth grading?
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Strong grading candidate — 3.1× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Team Rocket's Moltres ex #229 sells for $241 against $77.56 raw: a $163 spread, 3.1× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($78.25) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $77.56
- PSA 10
- $241
- PSA 9
- $78.25
- Gem premium
- 3.1×
- As of
- Oct 9, 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 | $241 | +$138 | +$113 | +$13.19 |
| PSA 9 | $78.25 | −$24.31 | −$49.31 | −$149 |
| PSA 8 | $76.01 | −$26.55 | −$51.55 | −$152 |
Net = sale price − $77.56 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% | $119 | −$8.69 |
| 50% | $160 | +$31.94 |
| 75% | $200 | +$72.56 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 30%. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BGS 10 | $634 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $241 | −$394 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $165 | −$470 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $144 | −$490 | 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.
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Grading Team Rocket's Moltres ex #229 — FAQ
Is Team Rocket's Moltres ex #229 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Team Rocket's Moltres ex #229 sells for $241 against $77.56 raw: a $163 spread, 3.1× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($78.25) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
How much is a PSA 10 Team Rocket's Moltres ex #229 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Team Rocket's Moltres ex #229 (Pokemon Destined Rivals) sells for about $241 versus $77.56 for a raw near-mint copy — a 3.1× premium as of Oct 9, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Team Rocket's Moltres ex #229?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $634, ahead of PSA 10 at $241. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Team Rocket's Moltres ex #229 need for a BGS 10?
BGS publishes 55/45 front and 70/30 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 Team Rocket's Moltres ex #229 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Team Rocket's Moltres ex #229 breaks even when it gems about 30% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $78.25).
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