Is Riolu worth grading?
Pokémon · Paldean Fates · 173/091 · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 9.0× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Riolu sells for $129 against $14.38 raw: a $115 spread, 9.0× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($25.36) 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)
- $14.38
- PSA 10
- $129
- PSA 9
- $25.36
- Gem premium
- 9.0×
- 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 | $129 | +$89.60 | +$64.60 | −$35.40 |
| PSA 9 | $25.36 | −$14.02 | −$39.02 | −$139 |
| PSA 8 | $15.18 | −$24.20 | −$49.20 | −$149 |
Net = sale price − $14.38 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% | $51.27 | −$13.12 |
| 50% | $77.17 | +$12.79 |
| 75% | $103 | +$38.69 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 38%. 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 | $129 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $37.87 | −$91.11 | 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 | ACE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $129 | $37.87 | — | $77.15 |
| 9.5 | — | $9.01 | $59.30 | — |
| 9 | $25.36 | $5.00 | — | — |
| 8.5 | — | $10.00 | — | — |
| 8 | $15.18 | — | — | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other Paldean Fates cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Riolu — FAQ
Is Riolu worth grading?
A PSA 10 Riolu sells for $129 against $14.38 raw: a $115 spread, 9.0× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($25.36) 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 Riolu worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Riolu (Paldean Fates 173/091) sells for about $129 versus $14.38 for a raw near-mint copy — a 9.0× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Riolu?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $129, ahead of CGC 10 at $37.87. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Riolu 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 Riolu break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Riolu breaks even when it gems about 38% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $25.36).
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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