Is Raikou worth grading?
Pokémon · Lost Thunder · 79/214 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 8 Raikou sells for $78.48 against $1.39 raw: a $77.09 spread, 56× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($30.19) 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)
- $1.39
- PSA 8
- $78.48
- PSA 9
- $30.19
- Gem premium
- 56×
- 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 8 | $78.48 | +$52.09 | +$27.09 | −$72.91 |
| PSA 9 | $30.19 | +$3.80 | −$21.20 | −$121 |
| PSA 8 | $10.50 | −$15.89 | −$40.89 | −$141 |
Net = sale price − $1.39 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% | $42.26 | −$9.13 |
| 50% | $54.34 | +$2.95 |
| 75% | $66.41 | +$15.02 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 44%. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses — measure it before you decide.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | PSA | CGC |
|---|---|---|
| 9 | $30.19 | — |
| 8 | $78.48 | — |
| 6.5 | — | $13.00 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
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Full set checklist →
Grading Raikou — FAQ
Is Raikou worth grading?
A PSA 8 Raikou sells for $78.48 against $1.39 raw: a $77.09 spread, 56× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($30.19) 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.
What gem rate makes grading Raikou break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Raikou breaks even when it gems about 44% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $30.19).
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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