Is Professor Elm's Lecture worth grading?
Pokémon · Lost Thunder · 188/214 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Professor Elm's Lecture sells for $402 against $0.83 raw: a $401 spread, 484× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($173) 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)
- $0.83
- PSA 10
- $402
- PSA 9
- $173
- Gem premium
- 484×
- 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 | $402 | +$376 | +$351 | +$251 |
| PSA 9 | $173 | +$147 | +$122 | +$22.40 |
| PSA 8 | $61.01 | +$35.18 | +$10.18 | −$89.82 |
Net = sale price − $0.83 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% | $230 | +$180 |
| 50% | $288 | +$237 |
| 75% | $345 | +$294 |
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 | $402 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| TAG 10 | $167 | −$235 | 55/45 | 72/28 |
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 | BGS | TAG |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $250 | — | — | $167 |
| 9.5 | — | — | $400 | — |
| 9 | $59.99 | $88.94 | — | — |
| 8.5 | — | $11.00 | — | — |
| 8 | $61.01 | — | — | — |
| 7 | $71.00 | — | — | — |
| 6 | $66.04 | — | — | — |
| 5 | $38.00 | — | — | — |
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 Professor Elm's Lecture — FAQ
Is Professor Elm's Lecture worth grading?
A PSA 10 Professor Elm's Lecture sells for $402 against $0.83 raw: a $401 spread, 484× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($173) 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 Professor Elm's Lecture worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Professor Elm's Lecture (Lost Thunder 188/214) sells for about $402 versus $0.83 for a raw near-mint copy — a 484× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Professor Elm's Lecture?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $402, ahead of TAG 10 at $167. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Professor Elm's Lecture 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.
Check my card free