Is Moltres worth grading?
Pokémon · Lost Thunder · 38/214 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Moltres sells for $134 against $0.85 raw: a $133 spread, 158× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($30.53) 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)
- $0.85
- PSA 10
- $134
- PSA 9
- $30.53
- Gem premium
- 158×
- 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 | $134 | +$108 | +$83.38 | −$16.62 |
| PSA 9 | $30.53 | +$4.68 | −$20.32 | −$120 |
| PSA 8 | $14.96 | −$10.89 | −$35.89 | −$136 |
Net = sale price − $0.85 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% | $56.45 | +$5.60 |
| 50% | $82.38 | +$31.53 |
| 75% | $108 | +$57.45 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 20%. 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 | $134 | 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.
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Grading Moltres — FAQ
Is Moltres worth grading?
A PSA 10 Moltres sells for $134 against $0.85 raw: a $133 spread, 158× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($30.53) 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 Moltres worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Moltres (Lost Thunder 38/214) sells for about $134 versus $0.85 for a raw near-mint copy — a 158× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
What centering does Moltres 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 Moltres break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Moltres breaks even when it gems about 20% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $30.53).
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