Is Opal worth grading?
Pokémon · Vivid Voltage · 197/185 · full price guide →
Grading rarely pays for this card
PSA 10 copies of Opal sell for $28.47, only $24.81 above the $3.66 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($10.55) 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)
- $3.66
- PSA 10
- $28.47
- PSA 9
- $10.55
- Gem premium
- 7.8×
- 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 | $28.47 | −$0.19 | −$25.19 | −$125 |
| PSA 9 | $10.55 | −$18.11 | −$43.11 | −$143 |
Net = sale price − $3.66 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% | $15.03 | −$38.63 |
| 50% | $19.51 | −$34.15 |
| 75% | $23.99 | −$29.67 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
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 | $28.47 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $12.00 | −$16.47 | 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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Other Vivid Voltage cards worth checking
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Grading Opal — FAQ
Is Opal worth grading?
PSA 10 copies of Opal sell for $28.47, only $24.81 above the $3.66 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($10.55) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
How much is a PSA 10 Opal worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Opal (Vivid Voltage 197/185) sells for about $28.47 versus $3.66 for a raw near-mint copy — a 7.8× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Opal?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $28.47, ahead of CGC 10 at $12.00. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Opal 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.
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