Is Slowpoke worth grading?
Pokémon · Lost Thunder · 54/214 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Slowpoke sells for $2,564 against $3.78 raw: a $2,560 spread, 678× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($38.00) 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)
- $3.78
- PSA 10
- $2,564
- PSA 9
- $38.00
- Gem premium
- 678×
- As of
- Sep 28, 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 | $2,564 | +$2,535 | +$2,510 | +$2,410 |
| PSA 9 | $38.00 | +$9.22 | −$15.78 | −$116 |
Net = sale price − $3.78 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% | $669 | +$616 |
| 50% | $1,301 | +$1,247 |
| 75% | $1,932 | +$1,879 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 1%. 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 | $2,564 | 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 →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 Slowpoke — FAQ
Is Slowpoke worth grading?
A PSA 10 Slowpoke sells for $2,564 against $3.78 raw: a $2,560 spread, 678× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($38.00) 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 Slowpoke worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Slowpoke (Lost Thunder 54/214) sells for about $2,564 versus $3.78 for a raw near-mint copy — a 678× premium as of Sep 28, 2026.
What centering does Slowpoke 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 Slowpoke break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Slowpoke breaks even when it gems about 1% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $38.00).
Best on iPhone & Android
Check your Pokémon card in the Midpoint app
Scan with your camera to measure centering to the millimeter, get an AI grade with corner and edge close-ups, see what your copy is worth, and track it in your portfolio. Free to start.
