Is Salamence VMAX worth grading?
Pokémon · Darkness Ablaze · 194/189 · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 5.0× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Salamence VMAX sells for $77.05 against $15.31 raw: a $61.74 spread, 5.0× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($28.72) 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)
- $15.31
- PSA 10
- $77.05
- PSA 9
- $28.72
- Gem premium
- 5.0×
- 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 | $77.05 | +$36.74 | +$11.74 | −$88.26 |
| PSA 9 | $28.72 | −$11.59 | −$36.59 | −$137 |
| PSA 8 | $26.92 | −$13.39 | −$38.39 | −$138 |
Net = sale price − $15.31 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% | $40.80 | −$24.51 |
| 50% | $52.88 | −$12.43 |
| 75% | $64.97 | −$0.34 |
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 | $77.05 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| BGS 10 | $54.00 | −$23.05 | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| CGC 10 | $37.32 | −$39.73 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $29.71 | −$47.34 | 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 VMAX — FAQ
Is Salamence VMAX worth grading?
A PSA 10 Salamence VMAX sells for $77.05 against $15.31 raw: a $61.74 spread, 5.0× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($28.72) 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 VMAX worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Salamence VMAX (Darkness Ablaze 194/189) sells for about $77.05 versus $15.31 for a raw near-mint copy — a 5.0× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Salamence VMAX?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $77.05, ahead of BGS 10 at $54.00. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Salamence VMAX 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 VMAX break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Salamence VMAX breaks even when it gems about 76% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $28.72).
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