Is Moltres worth grading?
Pokémon · SM Black Star Promos · SM143 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Moltres sells for $201 against $9.97 raw: a $191 spread, 20× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($42.10) 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)
- $9.97
- PSA 10
- $201
- PSA 9
- $42.10
- Gem premium
- 20×
- 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 | $201 | +$166 | +$141 | +$40.85 |
| PSA 9 | $42.10 | +$7.13 | −$17.87 | −$118 |
| PSA 8 | $23.02 | −$11.95 | −$36.95 | −$137 |
Net = sale price − $9.97 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% | $81.78 | +$21.81 |
| 50% | $121 | +$61.49 |
| 75% | $161 | +$101 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 11%. 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 | $201 | 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 →| Grade | PSA | CGC |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | $201 | — |
| 9 | $42.10 | $8.00 |
| 8 | $23.02 | $14.97 |
| 6 | $24.99 | — |
| 5 | $9.53 | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other SM Black Star Promos cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Moltres — FAQ
Is Moltres worth grading?
A PSA 10 Moltres sells for $201 against $9.97 raw: a $191 spread, 20× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($42.10) 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 (SM Black Star Promos SM143) sells for about $201 versus $9.97 for a raw near-mint copy — a 20× 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 11% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $42.10).
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