Is Champions Festival worth grading?
Pokémon · SM Black Star Promos · SM231 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Champions Festival sells for $1,079 against $259 raw: a $821 spread, 4.2× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($353) 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)
- $259
- PSA 10
- $1,079
- PSA 9
- $353
- Gem premium
- 4.2×
- 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 | $1,079 | +$796 | +$771 | +$671 |
| PSA 9 | $353 | +$68.90 | +$43.90 | −$56.10 |
Net = sale price − $259 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% | $534 | +$226 |
| 50% | $716 | +$407 |
| 75% | $898 | +$589 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
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 | $1,079 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $124 | −$955 | 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 Champions Festival — FAQ
Is Champions Festival worth grading?
A PSA 10 Champions Festival sells for $1,079 against $259 raw: a $821 spread, 4.2× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($353) 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 Champions Festival worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Champions Festival (SM Black Star Promos SM231) sells for about $1,079 versus $259 for a raw near-mint copy — a 4.2× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Champions Festival?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $1,079, ahead of CGC 10 at $124. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Champions Festival 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.
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