Is Torchic worth grading?
Pokémon · Darkness Ablaze · 022/189 · full price guide →
Grading rarely pays for this card
PSA 8 copies of Torchic sell for $20.00, only $19.69 above the $0.31 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($10.97) 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)
- $0.31
- PSA 8
- $20.00
- PSA 9
- $10.97
- Gem premium
- 65×
- 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 8 | $20.00 | −$5.31 | −$30.31 | −$130 |
| PSA 9 | $10.97 | −$14.34 | −$39.34 | −$139 |
| PSA 8 | $20.00 | −$5.31 | −$30.31 | −$130 |
Net = sale price − $0.31 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% | $13.23 | −$37.08 |
| 50% | $15.48 | −$34.83 |
| 75% | $17.74 | −$32.57 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
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Other Darkness Ablaze cards worth checking
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Grading Torchic — FAQ
Is Torchic worth grading?
PSA 8 copies of Torchic sell for $20.00, only $19.69 above the $0.31 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($10.97) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
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