Is Arven worth grading?
Pokémon · Obsidian Flames · 186/197 · full price guide →
Grading rarely pays for this card
PSA 8 copies of Arven sell for $7.00, only $6.65 above the $0.35 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($5.00) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
- Raw (NM)
- $0.35
- PSA 8
- $7.00
- PSA 9
- $5.00
- 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 8 | $7.00 | −$18.35 | −$43.35 | −$143 |
| PSA 9 | $5.00 | −$20.35 | −$45.35 | −$145 |
| PSA 8 | $7.00 | −$18.35 | −$43.35 | −$143 |
Net = sale price − $0.35 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% | $5.50 | −$44.85 |
| 50% | $6.00 | −$44.35 |
| 75% | $6.50 | −$43.85 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
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Grading Arven — FAQ
Is Arven worth grading?
PSA 8 copies of Arven sell for $7.00, only $6.65 above the $0.35 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($5.00) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
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