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Smeargle (Lost Thunder 157/214) — is it worth grading?

Is Smeargle worth grading?

Pokémon · Lost Thunder · 157/214 · full price guide →

Strong grading candidate — 11× premium in PSA 8

A PSA 8 Smeargle sells for $87.00 against $7.92 raw: a $79.08 spread, 11× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($12.00) 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)
$7.92
PSA 8
$87.00
PSA 9
$12.00
Gem premium
11×
As of
Aug 10, 2026

Break-even by outcome and fee

Smeargle: net result of grading versus selling raw, by outcome and fee tier
If it comes back…Sells forEconomy / bulk (~$25.00)Standard (~$50.00)Express (~$150)
Gem — PSA 8$87.00+$54.08+$29.08−$70.92
PSA 9$12.00−$20.92−$45.92−$146
PSA 8$87.00+$54.08+$29.08−$70.92

Net = sale price − $7.92 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?

Smeargle: expected value of submitting by gem probability
Chance it gemsExpected saleExpected net (standard fee)
25%$30.75−$27.17
50%$49.50−$8.42
75%$68.25+$10.33

Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 61%. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses — measure it before you decide.

Smeargle graded prices by company and grade
GradePSA
9$20.00
8$87.00
7$54.00

Run your own numbers

Should I pay this?

Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.

Other Lost Thunder cards worth checking

Full set checklist

Grading Smeargle — FAQ

Is Smeargle worth grading?

A PSA 8 Smeargle sells for $87.00 against $7.92 raw: a $79.08 spread, 11× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($12.00) 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.

What gem rate makes grading Smeargle break even?

At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Smeargle breaks even when it gems about 61% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $12.00).

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.

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