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Magma Basin (Brilliant Stars 185/172) — is it worth grading?

Is Magma Basin worth grading?

Pokémon · Brilliant Stars · 185/172 · full price guide →

Worth grading only if it gems

A PSA 10 Magma Basin brings $37.22 versus $2.84 raw — a $34.38 spread that covers an economy-tier ~$25 grading fee. A PSA 9 ($11.40) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming.

Raw (NM)
$2.84
PSA 10
$37.22
PSA 9
$11.40
Gem premium
13×
As of
Aug 10, 2026

Break-even by outcome and fee

Magma Basin: net result of grading versus selling raw, by outcome and fee tier
If it comes back…Sells forEconomy / bulk (~$25.00)Standard (~$50.00)Express (~$150)
Gem — PSA 10$37.22+$9.38−$15.62−$116
PSA 9$11.40−$16.44−$41.44−$141
PSA 8$8.97−$18.87−$43.87−$144

Net = sale price − $2.84 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?

Magma Basin: expected value of submitting by gem probability
Chance it gemsExpected saleExpected net (standard fee)
25%$17.86−$34.98
50%$24.31−$28.53
75%$30.77−$22.07

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 →
Magma Basin: top-grade value by grading company with centering tolerance
Grader10 sells forvs bestFront centering for a 10Back
PSA 10$37.22best55/4575/25

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.

Magma Basin graded prices by company and grade
GradePSACGCACE
10$37.22—$31.64
9$11.40$9.00—
8.5—$9.99—
8$8.97——

Swipe the table for the other grading companies →

Run your own numbers

Should I pay this?

Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.

Other Brilliant Stars cards worth checking

Full set checklist →

Grading Magma Basin — FAQ

Is Magma Basin worth grading?

A PSA 10 Magma Basin brings $37.22 versus $2.84 raw — a $34.38 spread that covers an economy-tier ~$25 grading fee. A PSA 9 ($11.40) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming.

How much is a PSA 10 Magma Basin worth compared with raw?

A PSA 10 Magma Basin (Brilliant Stars 185/172) sells for about $37.22 versus $2.84 for a raw near-mint copy — a 13× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.

What centering does Magma Basin 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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