Is Salamence ex worth grading?
Pokémon · Journey Together · 177/159 · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 36× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Salamence ex sells for $62.64 against $1.73 raw: a $60.91 spread, 36× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($17.49) 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)
- $1.73
- PSA 10
- $62.64
- PSA 9
- $17.49
- Gem premium
- 36×
- As of
- Oct 4, 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 | $62.64 | +$35.91 | +$10.91 | −$89.09 |
| PSA 9 | $17.49 | −$9.24 | −$34.24 | −$134 |
| PSA 8 | $17.28 | −$9.45 | −$34.45 | −$134 |
Net = sale price − $1.73 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% | $28.78 | −$22.95 |
| 50% | $40.06 | −$11.66 |
| 75% | $51.35 | −$0.38 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 76%. 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 | $62.64 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $20.52 | −$42.12 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $12.00 | −$50.64 | 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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Grading Salamence ex — FAQ
Is Salamence ex worth grading?
A PSA 10 Salamence ex sells for $62.64 against $1.73 raw: a $60.91 spread, 36× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($17.49) 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 Salamence ex worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Salamence ex (Journey Together 177/159) sells for about $62.64 versus $1.73 for a raw near-mint copy — a 36× premium as of Oct 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Salamence ex?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $62.64, ahead of CGC 10 at $20.52. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Salamence 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.
What gem rate makes grading Salamence ex break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Salamence ex breaks even when it gems about 76% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $17.49).
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