Is Steelix worth grading?
Pokémon · Paradox Rift · 208/182 · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 4.5× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Steelix sells for $167 against $36.70 raw: a $130 spread, 4.5× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($46.74) 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)
- $36.70
- PSA 10
- $167
- PSA 9
- $46.74
- Gem premium
- 4.5×
- As of
- Oct 4, 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 | $167 | +$105 | +$80.26 | −$19.74 |
| PSA 9 | $46.74 | −$14.96 | −$39.96 | −$140 |
| PSA 8 | $28.53 | −$33.17 | −$58.17 | −$158 |
Net = sale price − $36.70 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% | $76.80 | −$9.91 |
| 50% | $107 | +$20.15 |
| 75% | $137 | +$50.20 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 33%. 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 | $178 | best | 55/45 | 72/28 |
| PSA 10 | $167 | −$10.68 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $48.30 | −$129 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $41.64 | −$136 | 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 Steelix — FAQ
Is Steelix worth grading?
A PSA 10 Steelix sells for $167 against $36.70 raw: a $130 spread, 4.5× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($46.74) 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 Steelix worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Steelix (Paradox Rift 208/182) sells for about $167 versus $36.70 for a raw near-mint copy — a 4.5× premium as of Oct 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Steelix?
By resale value, TAG 10 leads at $178, ahead of PSA 10 at $167. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Steelix 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 Steelix break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Steelix breaks even when it gems about 33% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $46.74).
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