Is Volcarona worth grading?
Pokémon · Ancient Origins · 17/98 · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 401× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Volcarona sells for $285 against $0.71 raw: a $284 spread, 401× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($10.95) 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)
- $0.71
- PSA 10
- $285
- PSA 9
- $10.95
- Gem premium
- 401×
- 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 | $285 | +$259 | +$234 | +$134 |
| PSA 9 | $10.95 | −$14.76 | −$39.76 | −$140 |
Net = sale price − $0.71 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% | $79.45 | +$28.74 |
| 50% | $148 | +$97.23 |
| 75% | $216 | +$166 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 15%. 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 | $285 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $32.00 | −$253 | 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | $285 | $32.00 |
| 9 | $10.95 | — |
| 8.5 | — | $6.00 |
| 6 | $33.00 | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other Ancient Origins cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Volcarona — FAQ
Is Volcarona worth grading?
A PSA 10 Volcarona sells for $285 against $0.71 raw: a $284 spread, 401× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($10.95) 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 Volcarona worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Volcarona (Ancient Origins 17/98) sells for about $285 versus $0.71 for a raw near-mint copy — a 401× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Volcarona?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $285, ahead of CGC 10 at $32.00. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Volcarona 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 Volcarona break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Volcarona breaks even when it gems about 15% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $10.95).
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