Is Palafin worth grading?
Pokémon · Obsidian Flames · 200/197 · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 17× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Palafin sells for $93.89 against $5.52 raw: a $88.37 spread, 17× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($19.32) 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)
- $5.52
- PSA 10
- $93.89
- PSA 9
- $19.32
- Gem premium
- 17×
- 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 | $93.89 | +$63.37 | +$38.37 | −$61.63 |
| PSA 9 | $19.32 | −$11.20 | −$36.20 | −$136 |
| PSA 8 | $13.50 | −$17.02 | −$42.02 | −$142 |
Net = sale price − $5.52 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% | $37.96 | −$17.56 |
| 50% | $56.61 | +$1.09 |
| 75% | $75.25 | +$19.73 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 49%. 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 | $99.87 | best | 55/45 | 72/28 |
| PSA 10 | $93.89 | −$5.98 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $25.33 | −$74.54 | 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 Obsidian Flames cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Palafin — FAQ
Is Palafin worth grading?
A PSA 10 Palafin sells for $93.89 against $5.52 raw: a $88.37 spread, 17× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($19.32) 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 Palafin worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Palafin (Obsidian Flames 200/197) sells for about $93.89 versus $5.52 for a raw near-mint copy — a 17× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Palafin?
By resale value, TAG 10 leads at $99.87, ahead of PSA 10 at $93.89. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Palafin 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 Palafin break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Palafin breaks even when it gems about 49% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $19.32).
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.
