Is Varoom worth grading?
Pokémon · Obsidian Flames · 206/197 · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 23× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Varoom sells for $75.28 against $3.33 raw: a $71.95 spread, 23× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($18.55) 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)
- $3.33
- PSA 10
- $75.28
- PSA 9
- $18.55
- Gem premium
- 23×
- 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 | $75.28 | +$46.95 | +$21.95 | −$78.05 |
| PSA 9 | $18.55 | −$9.78 | −$34.78 | −$135 |
| PSA 8 | $10.85 | −$17.48 | −$42.48 | −$142 |
Net = sale price − $3.33 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% | $32.73 | −$20.60 |
| 50% | $46.91 | −$6.41 |
| 75% | $61.10 | +$7.77 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 61%. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA 10 | $75.28 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| TAG 10 | $45.89 | −$29.39 | 55/45 | 72/28 |
| CGC 10 | $21.91 | −$53.37 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $7.00 | −$68.28 | 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 Varoom — FAQ
Is Varoom worth grading?
A PSA 10 Varoom sells for $75.28 against $3.33 raw: a $71.95 spread, 23× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($18.55) 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 Varoom worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Varoom (Obsidian Flames 206/197) sells for about $75.28 versus $3.33 for a raw near-mint copy — a 23× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Varoom?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $75.28, ahead of TAG 10 at $45.89. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Varoom 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.
What gem rate makes grading Varoom break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Varoom breaks even when it gems about 61% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $18.55).
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.
