Is Tapu Lele worth grading?
Pokémon · Surging Sparks · 092/191 · full price guide →
Grading rarely pays for this card
PSA 10 copies of Tapu Lele sell for $22.10, only $21.93 above the $0.17 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($11.55) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
- Raw (NM)
- $0.17
- PSA 10
- $22.10
- PSA 9
- $11.55
- Gem premium
- 130×
- 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 | $22.10 | −$3.07 | −$28.07 | −$128 |
| PSA 9 | $11.55 | −$13.62 | −$38.62 | −$139 |
Net = sale price − $0.17 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% | $14.19 | −$35.98 |
| 50% | $16.83 | −$33.34 |
| 75% | $19.46 | −$30.71 |
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 | $22.10 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| TAG 10 | $5.00 | −$17.10 | 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 Tapu Lele — FAQ
Is Tapu Lele worth grading?
PSA 10 copies of Tapu Lele sell for $22.10, only $21.93 above the $0.17 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($11.55) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
How much is a PSA 10 Tapu Lele worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Tapu Lele (Surging Sparks 092/191) sells for about $22.10 versus $0.17 for a raw near-mint copy — a 130× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Tapu Lele?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $22.10, ahead of TAG 10 at $5.00. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Tapu Lele 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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