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 $182 against $40.14 raw: a $142 spread, 4.5× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($37.97) sells for less than raw, so anything short of a 10 loses money. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $40.14
- PSA 10
- $182
- PSA 9
- $37.97
- Gem premium
- 4.5×
- 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 | $182 | +$117 | +$91.74 | −$8.26 |
| PSA 9 | $37.97 | −$27.17 | −$52.17 | −$152 |
| PSA 8 | $19.66 | −$45.48 | −$70.48 | −$170 |
Net = sale price − $40.14 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% | $73.95 | −$16.19 |
| 50% | $110 | +$19.78 |
| 75% | $146 | +$55.76 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 36%. 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 | $182 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| TAG 10 | $99.73 | −$82.15 | 55/45 | 72/28 |
| CGC 10 | $48.88 | −$133 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $42.88 | −$139 | 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 | SGC | TAG | ACE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $182 | $48.88 | — | $42.88 | $99.73 | $95.37 |
| 9.5 | — | $50.91 | $89.41 | $23.01 | — | — |
| 9 | $37.97 | $37.99 | $28.41 | — | $59.83 | $40.49 |
| 8.5 | $32.99 | $26.63 | $30.00 | — | — | — |
| 8 | $19.66 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 7 | $23.36 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 6 | $11.00 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 5 | $14.00 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 4 | $13.50 | — | — | — | — | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other Paradox Rift cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Steelix — FAQ
Is Steelix worth grading?
A PSA 10 Steelix sells for $182 against $40.14 raw: a $142 spread, 4.5× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($37.97) sells for less than raw, so anything short of a 10 loses money. 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 $182 versus $40.14 for a raw near-mint copy — a 4.5× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Steelix?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $182, ahead of TAG 10 at $99.73. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Steelix 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 Steelix break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Steelix breaks even when it gems about 36% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $37.97).
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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