Is Energy Recycler worth grading?
Pokémon · Forbidden Light · 143/131 · full price guide →
Grading rarely pays for this card
PSA 10 copies of Energy Recycler sell for $58.76, only $23.42 above the $35.34 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. Even a PSA 9 ($61.58) clears the raw price after an economy-tier ~$25 fee, so a near-miss still comes out ahead. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
- Raw (NM)
- $35.34
- PSA 10
- $58.76
- PSA 9
- $61.58
- Gem premium
- 1.7×
- 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 | $58.76 | −$1.58 | −$26.58 | −$127 |
| PSA 9 | $61.58 | +$1.24 | −$23.76 | −$124 |
Net = sale price − $35.34 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% | $60.88 | −$24.47 |
| 50% | $60.17 | −$25.17 |
| 75% | $59.47 | −$25.88 |
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 | $58.76 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $16.00 | −$42.76 | 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | $58.76 | $16.00 |
| 9 | $61.58 | — |
| 8.5 | — | $7.00 |
| 5 | $27.42 | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other Forbidden Light cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Energy Recycler — FAQ
Is Energy Recycler worth grading?
PSA 10 copies of Energy Recycler sell for $58.76, only $23.42 above the $35.34 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. Even a PSA 9 ($61.58) clears the raw price after an economy-tier ~$25 fee, so a near-miss still comes out ahead. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
How much is a PSA 10 Energy Recycler worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Energy Recycler (Forbidden Light 143/131) sells for about $58.76 versus $35.34 for a raw near-mint copy — a 1.7× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Energy Recycler?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $58.76, ahead of CGC 10 at $16.00. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Energy Recycler 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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