Is Rayquaza VMAX worth grading?
Pokémon · Evolving Skies · 218/203 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Rayquaza VMAX sells for $2,712 against $1,248 raw: a $1,465 spread, 2.2× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($1,308) clears the raw price after an economy-tier ~$25 fee, so a near-miss still comes out ahead. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $1,248
- PSA 10
- $2,712
- PSA 9
- $1,308
- Gem premium
- 2.2×
- As of
- Aug 19, 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 | $2,712 | +$1,440 | +$1,415 | +$1,315 |
| PSA 9 | $1,308 | +$34.99 | +$9.99 | −$90.01 |
| PSA 8 | $904 | −$368 | −$393 | −$493 |
Net = sale price − $1,248 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% | $1,659 | +$361 |
| 50% | $2,010 | +$712 |
| 75% | $2,361 | +$1,064 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
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 | $3,339 | best | 55/45 | 72/28 |
| BGS 10 | $3,090 | −$250 | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $2,712 | −$627 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $1,587 | −$1,752 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $840 | −$2,499 | 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 | $2,712 | $1,587 | $3,090 | $840 | $3,339 | $1,674 |
| 9.5 | — | $1,138 | $1,900 | $889 | — | — |
| 9 | $1,308 | $1,057 | $892 | — | $706 | $916 |
| 8.5 | — | $734 | $568 | $500 | — | — |
| 8 | $904 | $810 | — | — | — | — |
| 7.5 | — | $515 | — | — | — | — |
| 7 | $93.13 | $510 | — | — | — | — |
| 6.5 | — | $480 | $400 | — | $725 | — |
| 6 | $675 | $621 | — | $212 | — | — |
| 5 | $250 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 4 | $346 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 3 | $572 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2 | $235 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1 | $716 | — | — | — | — | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other Evolving Skies cards worth checking
Full set checklist →Grading Rayquaza VMAX — FAQ
Is Rayquaza VMAX worth grading?
A PSA 10 Rayquaza VMAX sells for $2,712 against $1,248 raw: a $1,465 spread, 2.2× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($1,308) clears the raw price after an economy-tier ~$25 fee, so a near-miss still comes out ahead. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
How much is a PSA 10 Rayquaza VMAX worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Rayquaza VMAX (Evolving Skies 218/203) sells for about $2,712 versus $1,248 for a raw near-mint copy — a 2.2× premium as of Aug 19, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Rayquaza VMAX?
By resale value, TAG 10 leads at $3,339, ahead of BGS 10 at $3,090. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Rayquaza VMAX 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.
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.
Check my card free