Is Chien-Pao worth grading?
Pokémon · Surging Sparks · 056/191 · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 306× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Chien-Pao sells for $61.21 against $0.20 raw: a $61.01 spread, 306× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($13.87) 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)
- $0.20
- PSA 10
- $61.21
- PSA 9
- $13.87
- Gem premium
- 306×
- 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 | $61.21 | +$36.01 | +$11.01 | −$88.99 |
| PSA 9 | $13.87 | −$11.33 | −$36.33 | −$136 |
Net = sale price − $0.20 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% | $25.70 | −$24.50 |
| 50% | $37.54 | −$12.66 |
| 75% | $49.38 | −$0.83 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 77%. 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 | $61.21 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $12.98 | −$48.23 | 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.
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Other Surging Sparks cards worth checking
Full set checklist →Grading Chien-Pao — FAQ
Is Chien-Pao worth grading?
A PSA 10 Chien-Pao sells for $61.21 against $0.20 raw: a $61.01 spread, 306× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($13.87) 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 Chien-Pao worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Chien-Pao (Surging Sparks 056/191) sells for about $61.21 versus $0.20 for a raw near-mint copy — a 306× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Chien-Pao?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $61.21, ahead of CGC 10 at $12.98. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Chien-Pao 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 Chien-Pao break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Chien-Pao breaks even when it gems about 77% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $13.87).
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