Is Ho-Oh worth grading?
Pokémon · Lost Thunder · 160/214 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Ho-Oh sells for $175 against $1.37 raw: a $174 spread, 128× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($48.05) 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)
- $1.37
- PSA 10
- $175
- PSA 9
- $48.05
- Gem premium
- 128×
- 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 | $175 | +$149 | +$124 | +$23.60 |
| PSA 9 | $48.05 | +$21.68 | −$3.32 | −$103 |
Net = sale price − $1.37 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% | $79.78 | +$28.41 |
| 50% | $112 | +$60.14 |
| 75% | $143 | +$91.87 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 3%. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA 10 | $195 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $39.99 | −$155 | 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 | $195 | $39.99 |
| 9 | $48.05 | — |
| 7 | $11.50 | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
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Full set checklist →
Grading Ho-Oh — FAQ
Is Ho-Oh worth grading?
A PSA 10 Ho-Oh sells for $175 against $1.37 raw: a $174 spread, 128× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($48.05) 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.
How much is a PSA 10 Ho-Oh worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Ho-Oh (Lost Thunder 160/214) sells for about $175 versus $1.37 for a raw near-mint copy — a 128× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Ho-Oh?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $195, ahead of CGC 10 at $39.99. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Ho-Oh 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.
What gem rate makes grading Ho-Oh break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Ho-Oh breaks even when it gems about 3% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $48.05).
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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