Is Shining Ho-Oh worth grading?
Pokémon · SM Black Star Promos · SM70 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Shining Ho-Oh sells for $639 against $28.86 raw: a $610 spread, 22× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($92.25) 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)
- $28.86
- PSA 10
- $639
- PSA 9
- $92.25
- Gem premium
- 22×
- 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 | $639 | +$585 | +$560 | +$460 |
| PSA 9 | $92.25 | +$38.39 | +$13.39 | −$86.61 |
| PSA 8 | $35.31 | −$18.55 | −$43.55 | −$144 |
Net = sale price − $28.86 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% | $229 | +$150 |
| 50% | $365 | +$287 |
| 75% | $502 | +$423 |
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 | $639 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $55.72 | −$583 | 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 | BGS | SGC | TAG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $639 | $55.72 | — | — | — |
| 9.5 | — | $55.02 | $40.00 | — | — |
| 9 | $92.25 | $49.94 | $52.77 | $25.00 | — |
| 8.5 | $65.00 | $29.61 | $36.89 | $9.60 | — |
| 8 | $35.31 | $23.29 | $20.00 | — | $24.00 |
| 7.5 | — | $29.89 | — | — | — |
| 7 | $34.21 | $12.00 | — | $15.00 | — |
| 6 | $8.80 | $10.03 | — | — | — |
| 5 | $19.65 | — | — | — | — |
| 4 | $32.00 | — | — | — | — |
| 3 | $8.00 | — | — | — | — |
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 Shining Ho-Oh — FAQ
Is Shining Ho-Oh worth grading?
A PSA 10 Shining Ho-Oh sells for $639 against $28.86 raw: a $610 spread, 22× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($92.25) 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 Shining Ho-Oh worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Shining Ho-Oh (SM Black Star Promos SM70) sells for about $639 versus $28.86 for a raw near-mint copy — a 22× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Shining Ho-Oh?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $639, ahead of CGC 10 at $55.72. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Shining Ho-Oh 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.
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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