Is Salamence V worth grading?
Pokémon · Darkness Ablaze · 185/189 · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 17× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Salamence V sells for $61.89 against $3.62 raw: a $58.27 spread, 17× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($18.26) 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)
- $3.62
- PSA 10
- $61.89
- PSA 9
- $18.26
- Gem premium
- 17×
- 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 | $61.89 | +$33.27 | +$8.27 | −$91.73 |
| PSA 9 | $18.26 | −$10.36 | −$35.36 | −$135 |
| PSA 8 | $16.01 | −$12.61 | −$37.61 | −$138 |
Net = sale price − $3.62 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% | $29.17 | −$24.45 |
| 50% | $40.08 | −$13.54 |
| 75% | $50.98 | −$2.64 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 81%. 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 | $61.89 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $32.20 | −$29.69 | 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 V — FAQ
Is Salamence V worth grading?
A PSA 10 Salamence V sells for $61.89 against $3.62 raw: a $58.27 spread, 17× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($18.26) 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 V worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Salamence V (Darkness Ablaze 185/189) sells for about $61.89 versus $3.62 for a raw near-mint copy — a 17× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Salamence V?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $61.89, ahead of CGC 10 at $32.20. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Salamence V 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 V break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Salamence V breaks even when it gems about 81% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $18.26).
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