Is Mela worth grading?
Pokémon · Paradox Rift · 254/182 · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 11× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Mela sells for $93.54 against $8.79 raw: a $84.75 spread, 11× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($24.63) 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)
- $8.79
- PSA 10
- $93.54
- PSA 9
- $24.63
- Gem premium
- 11×
- 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 | $93.54 | +$59.75 | +$34.75 | −$65.25 |
| PSA 9 | $24.63 | −$9.16 | −$34.16 | −$134 |
| PSA 8 | $14.01 | −$19.78 | −$44.78 | −$145 |
Net = sale price − $8.79 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% | $41.86 | −$16.93 |
| 50% | $59.09 | +$0.30 |
| 75% | $76.31 | +$17.52 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 50%. 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 | $93.54 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $30.00 | −$63.54 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $18.60 | −$74.94 | 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 Paradox Rift cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Mela — FAQ
Is Mela worth grading?
A PSA 10 Mela sells for $93.54 against $8.79 raw: a $84.75 spread, 11× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($24.63) 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 Mela worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Mela (Paradox Rift 254/182) sells for about $93.54 versus $8.79 for a raw near-mint copy — a 11× premium as of Oct 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Mela?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $93.54, ahead of SGC 10 at $30.00. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Mela 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 Mela break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Mela breaks even when it gems about 50% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $24.63).
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.
