Is Empoleon V worth grading?
Pokémon · Battle Styles · 146/163 · full price guide →
Worth grading only if it gems
A PSA 10 Empoleon V brings $197 versus $71.98 raw — a $125 spread that covers an economy-tier ~$25 grading fee. A PSA 9 ($77.46) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming.
- Raw (NM)
- $71.98
- PSA 10
- $197
- PSA 9
- $77.46
- Gem premium
- 2.7×
- 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 | $197 | +$100 | +$75.47 | −$24.53 |
| PSA 9 | $77.46 | −$19.52 | −$44.52 | −$145 |
| PSA 8 | $73.77 | −$23.21 | −$48.21 | −$148 |
Net = sale price − $71.98 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% | $107 | −$14.52 |
| 50% | $137 | +$15.47 |
| 75% | $167 | +$45.47 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 37%. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TAG 10 | $199 | best | 55/45 | 72/28 |
| PSA 10 | $197 | −$1.84 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| BGS 10 | $175 | −$24.29 | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| CGC 10 | $122 | −$77.59 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $97.26 | −$102 | 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.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | PSA | CGC | BGS | SGC | TAG | ACE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $197 | $122 | $175 | $97.26 | $199 | $180 |
| 9.5 | — | $54.10 | $68.76 | — | — | — |
| 9 | $77.46 | $64.74 | $74.96 | — | $49.92 | $74.28 |
| 8.5 | — | $35.00 | $44.00 | — | — | — |
| 8 | $73.77 | $45.00 | $34.00 | — | — | $85.61 |
| 7 | $53.95 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 5 | $22.00 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2 | $60.00 | — | — | — | — | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other Battle Styles cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Empoleon V — FAQ
Is Empoleon V worth grading?
A PSA 10 Empoleon V brings $197 versus $71.98 raw — a $125 spread that covers an economy-tier ~$25 grading fee. A PSA 9 ($77.46) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming.
How much is a PSA 10 Empoleon V worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Empoleon V (Battle Styles 146/163) sells for about $197 versus $71.98 for a raw near-mint copy — a 2.7× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Empoleon V?
By resale value, TAG 10 leads at $199, ahead of PSA 10 at $197. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Empoleon V need for a TAG 10?
TAG publishes 55/45 front and 72/28 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 Empoleon V break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Empoleon V breaks even when it gems about 37% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $77.46).
Is your Pokémon card centered well enough to grade?
Centering makes or breaks a PSA 10. Scan any card with Midpoint to measure its exact centering, get a grade estimate, and see what your copy is actually worth.
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