Is Ninetales worth grading?
Pokémon · Obsidian Flames · 199/197 · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 9.2× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Ninetales sells for $299 against $32.61 raw: a $267 spread, 9.2× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($46.11) 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)
- $32.61
- PSA 10
- $299
- PSA 9
- $46.11
- Gem premium
- 9.2×
- As of
- Oct 12, 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 | $299 | +$242 | +$217 | +$117 |
| PSA 9 | $46.11 | −$11.50 | −$36.50 | −$137 |
| PSA 8 | $37.42 | −$20.19 | −$45.19 | −$145 |
Net = sale price − $32.61 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% | $109 | +$26.80 |
| 50% | $173 | +$90.09 |
| 75% | $236 | +$153 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 14%. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TAG 10 | $341 | best | 55/45 | 72/28 |
| PSA 10 | $296 | −$44.59 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $115 | −$226 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $97.23 | −$243 | 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 Ninetales — FAQ
Is Ninetales worth grading?
A PSA 10 Ninetales sells for $299 against $32.61 raw: a $267 spread, 9.2× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($46.11) 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 Ninetales worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Ninetales (Obsidian Flames 199/197) sells for about $299 versus $32.61 for a raw near-mint copy — a 9.2× premium as of Oct 12, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Ninetales?
By resale value, TAG 10 leads at $341, ahead of PSA 10 at $296. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Ninetales need for a TAG 10?
TAG publishes 55/45 front and 72/28 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 Ninetales break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Ninetales breaks even when it gems about 14% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $46.11).
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