Is Espeon worth grading?
Pokémon · Obsidian Flames · 086/197 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Espeon sells for $109 against $14.60 raw: a $94.85 spread, 7.5× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($39.99) 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)
- $14.60
- PSA 10
- $109
- PSA 9
- $39.99
- Gem premium
- 7.5×
- As of
- Aug 19, 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 | $109 | +$69.85 | +$44.85 | −$55.15 |
| PSA 9 | $39.99 | +$0.39 | −$24.61 | −$125 |
| PSA 8 | $65.00 | +$25.40 | +$0.40 | −$99.60 |
Net = sale price − $14.60 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% | $57.36 | −$7.24 |
| 50% | $74.72 | +$10.12 |
| 75% | $92.09 | +$27.49 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 35%. 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 | $109 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $14.34 | −$95.11 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $39.83 | $12.77 | — |
| 9.5 | — | $14.40 | $20.51 |
| 9 | $9.87 | $7.38 | — |
| 8 | $1,000 | — | — |
| 7 | $7.31 | — | — |
Run your own numbers
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Other Obsidian Flames cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Espeon — FAQ
Is Espeon worth grading?
A PSA 10 Espeon sells for $109 against $14.60 raw: a $94.85 spread, 7.5× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($39.99) 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 Espeon worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Espeon (Obsidian Flames 086/197) sells for about $109 versus $14.60 for a raw near-mint copy — a 7.5× premium as of Aug 19, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Espeon?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $109, ahead of CGC 10 at $14.34. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Espeon 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 Espeon break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Espeon breaks even when it gems about 35% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $39.99).
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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