Is Suicune worth grading?
Pokémon · SM Black Star Promos · SM149 · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 158× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Suicune sells for $3,057 against $19.34 raw: a $3,037 spread, 158× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($20.95) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $19.34
- PSA 10
- $3,057
- PSA 9
- $20.95
- Gem premium
- 158×
- As of
- Sep 15, 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 | $3,057 | +$3,012 | +$2,987 | +$2,887 |
| PSA 9 | $20.95 | −$23.39 | −$48.39 | −$148 |
| PSA 8 | $196 | +$152 | +$127 | +$26.92 |
Net = sale price − $19.34 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% | $780 | +$711 |
| 50% | $1,539 | +$1,469 |
| 75% | $2,298 | +$2,228 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 2%. 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 | $651 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $41.00 | −$610 | 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 →Swipe the table for the other grading companies →
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 Suicune — FAQ
Is Suicune worth grading?
A PSA 10 Suicune sells for $3,057 against $19.34 raw: a $3,037 spread, 158× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($20.95) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
How much is a PSA 10 Suicune worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Suicune (SM Black Star Promos SM149) sells for about $3,057 versus $19.34 for a raw near-mint copy — a 158× premium as of Sep 15, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Suicune?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $651, ahead of CGC 10 at $41.00. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Suicune 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 Suicune break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Suicune breaks even when it gems about 2% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $20.95).
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.