Is Empoleon worth grading?
Pokémon · Forbidden Light · 81/131 · full price guide →
Grading rarely pays for this card
PSA 7 copies of Empoleon sell for $14.94, only $14.00 above the $0.94 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($10.50) 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)
- $0.94
- PSA 7
- $14.94
- PSA 9
- $10.50
- Gem premium
- 16×
- 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 7 | $14.94 | −$11.00 | −$36.00 | −$136 |
| PSA 9 | $10.50 | −$15.44 | −$40.44 | −$140 |
| PSA 8 | $13.50 | −$12.44 | −$37.44 | −$137 |
Net = sale price − $0.94 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% | $11.61 | −$39.33 |
| 50% | $12.72 | −$38.22 |
| 75% | $13.83 | −$37.11 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CGC 10 | $11.00 | best | 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 | — | $11.00 |
| 9 | $10.50 | — |
| 8 | $13.50 | — |
| 7 | $14.94 | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
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Full set checklist →
Grading Empoleon — FAQ
Is Empoleon worth grading?
PSA 7 copies of Empoleon sell for $14.94, only $14.00 above the $0.94 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($10.50) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
What centering does Empoleon need for a CGC 10?
CGC 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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