Is Iron Thorns ex worth grading?
Pokémon · Twilight Masquerade · 196/167 · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 21× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Iron Thorns ex sells for $43.62 against $2.04 raw: a $41.58 spread, 21× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($22.81) 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)
- $2.04
- PSA 10
- $43.62
- PSA 9
- $22.81
- Gem premium
- 21×
- 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 | $43.62 | +$16.58 | −$8.42 | −$108 |
| PSA 9 | $22.81 | −$4.23 | −$29.23 | −$129 |
| PSA 8 | $12.41 | −$14.63 | −$39.63 | −$140 |
Net = sale price − $2.04 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% | $28.01 | −$24.03 |
| 50% | $33.21 | −$18.83 |
| 75% | $38.42 | −$13.62 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
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 | $43.62 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $24.95 | −$18.67 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $23.84 | −$19.78 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| TAG 10 | $18.00 | −$25.62 | 55/45 | 72/28 |
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 Iron Thorns ex — FAQ
Is Iron Thorns ex worth grading?
A PSA 10 Iron Thorns ex sells for $43.62 against $2.04 raw: a $41.58 spread, 21× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($22.81) 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 Iron Thorns ex worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Iron Thorns ex (Twilight Masquerade 196/167) sells for about $43.62 versus $2.04 for a raw near-mint copy — a 21× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Iron Thorns ex?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $43.62, ahead of SGC 10 at $24.95. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Iron Thorns ex 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.
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