Is Surfer worth grading?
Pokémon · Surging Sparks · 187/191 · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 600× premium in PSA 8
A PSA 8 Surfer sells for $60.00 against $0.10 raw: a $59.90 spread, 600× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($5.00) 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)
- $0.10
- PSA 8
- $60.00
- PSA 9
- $5.00
- Gem premium
- 600×
- 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 8 | $60.00 | +$34.90 | +$9.90 | −$90.10 |
| PSA 9 | $5.00 | −$20.10 | −$45.10 | −$145 |
| PSA 8 | $60.00 | +$34.90 | +$9.90 | −$90.10 |
Net = sale price − $0.10 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% | $18.75 | −$31.35 |
| 50% | $32.50 | −$17.60 |
| 75% | $46.25 | −$3.85 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 82%. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses — measure it before you decide.
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Other Surging Sparks cards worth checking
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Grading Surfer — FAQ
Is Surfer worth grading?
A PSA 8 Surfer sells for $60.00 against $0.10 raw: a $59.90 spread, 600× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($5.00) 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.
What gem rate makes grading Surfer break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Surfer breaks even when it gems about 82% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $5.00).
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