Is Salamence worth grading?
Pokémon · Evolving Skies · 109/203 · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 75× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Salamence sells for $69.92 against $0.93 raw: a $68.99 spread, 75× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($17.34) 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)
- $0.93
- PSA 10
- $69.92
- PSA 9
- $17.34
- Gem premium
- 75×
- 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 | $69.92 | +$43.99 | +$18.99 | −$81.01 |
| PSA 9 | $17.34 | −$8.59 | −$33.59 | −$134 |
| PSA 8 | $7.00 | −$18.93 | −$43.93 | −$144 |
Net = sale price − $0.93 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% | $30.48 | −$20.45 |
| 50% | $43.63 | −$7.30 |
| 75% | $56.77 | +$5.84 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 64%. 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 | $69.92 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $10.00 | −$59.92 | 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 — FAQ
Is Salamence worth grading?
A PSA 10 Salamence sells for $69.92 against $0.93 raw: a $68.99 spread, 75× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($17.34) 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 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Salamence (Evolving Skies 109/203) sells for about $69.92 versus $0.93 for a raw near-mint copy — a 75× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Salamence?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $69.92, ahead of CGC 10 at $10.00. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Salamence 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 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Salamence breaks even when it gems about 64% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $17.34).
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