Is Basic Metal Energy worth grading?
Pokémon · Scarlet & Violet Energies · 008 · full price guide →
Grading rarely pays for this card
PSA 10 copies of Basic Metal Energy sell for $6.97, only $6.84 above the $0.13 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($3.00) 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)
- $0.13
- PSA 10
- $6.97
- PSA 9
- $3.00
- Gem premium
- 54×
- As of
- Oct 11, 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 | $6.97 | −$18.16 | −$43.16 | −$143 |
| PSA 9 | $3.00 | −$22.13 | −$47.13 | −$147 |
Net = sale price − $0.13 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% | $3.99 | −$46.14 |
| 50% | $4.98 | −$45.15 |
| 75% | $5.98 | −$44.15 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CGC 10 | $21.00 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| PSA 10 | $6.97 | −$14.03 | 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 Basic Metal Energy — FAQ
Is Basic Metal Energy worth grading?
PSA 10 copies of Basic Metal Energy sell for $6.97, only $6.84 above the $0.13 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($3.00) 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 Basic Metal Energy worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Basic Metal Energy (Scarlet & Violet Energies 008) sells for about $6.97 versus $0.13 for a raw near-mint copy — a 54× premium as of Oct 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Basic Metal Energy?
By resale value, CGC 10 leads at $21.00, ahead of PSA 10 at $6.97. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Basic Metal Energy need for a CGC 10?
CGC 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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