Is Palafin worth grading?
Pokémon · Scarlet & Violet Black Star Promos · 036 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Palafin sells for $185 against $3.89 raw: a $181 spread, 47× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($45.80) clears the raw price after an economy-tier ~$25 fee, so a near-miss still comes out ahead. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $3.89
- PSA 10
- $185
- PSA 9
- $45.80
- Gem premium
- 47×
- 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 | $185 | +$156 | +$131 | +$30.61 |
| PSA 9 | $45.80 | +$16.91 | −$8.09 | −$108 |
| PSA 8 | $59.69 | +$30.80 | +$5.80 | −$94.20 |
Net = sale price − $3.89 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% | $80.47 | +$26.58 |
| 50% | $115 | +$61.26 |
| 75% | $150 | +$95.94 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 6%. 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 | $196 | best | 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.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | PSA | CGC | BGS |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $196 | — | — |
| 9 | $45.80 | $26.00 | $70.00 |
| 8 | $48.96 | — | — |
| 6 | $33.00 | — | — |
| 5 | $22.00 | — | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other Scarlet & Violet Black Star Promos cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Palafin — FAQ
Is Palafin worth grading?
A PSA 10 Palafin sells for $185 against $3.89 raw: a $181 spread, 47× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($45.80) clears the raw price after an economy-tier ~$25 fee, so a near-miss still comes out ahead. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
How much is a PSA 10 Palafin worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Palafin (Scarlet & Violet Black Star Promos 036) sells for about $185 versus $3.89 for a raw near-mint copy — a 47× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
What centering does Palafin 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 Palafin break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Palafin breaks even when it gems about 6% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $45.80).
Is your Pokémon card centered well enough to grade?
Centering makes or breaks a PSA 10. Scan any card with Midpoint to measure its exact centering, get a grade estimate, and see what your copy is actually worth.
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