Is Lugia VSTAR worth grading?
Pokémon · Silver Tempest · 202/195 · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 4.5× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Lugia VSTAR sells for $189 against $41.76 raw: a $147 spread, 4.5× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($50.07) 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)
- $41.76
- PSA 10
- $189
- PSA 9
- $50.07
- Gem premium
- 4.5×
- As of
- Aug 16, 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 | $189 | +$122 | +$97.06 | −$2.94 |
| PSA 9 | $50.07 | −$16.69 | −$41.69 | −$142 |
| PSA 8 | $29.96 | −$36.80 | −$61.80 | −$162 |
Net = sale price − $41.76 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% | $84.76 | −$7.00 |
| 50% | $119 | +$27.69 |
| 75% | $154 | +$62.37 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 30%. 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 | $189 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| TAG 10 | $122 | −$67.32 | 55/45 | 72/28 |
| CGC 10 | $66.30 | −$123 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $51.00 | −$138 | 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 Lugia VSTAR — FAQ
Is Lugia VSTAR worth grading?
A PSA 10 Lugia VSTAR sells for $189 against $41.76 raw: a $147 spread, 4.5× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($50.07) 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 Lugia VSTAR worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Lugia VSTAR (Silver Tempest 202/195) sells for about $189 versus $41.76 for a raw near-mint copy — a 4.5× premium as of Aug 16, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Lugia VSTAR?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $189, ahead of TAG 10 at $122. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Lugia VSTAR 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 Lugia VSTAR break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Lugia VSTAR breaks even when it gems about 30% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $50.07).
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