Is Lugia-EX worth grading?
Pokémon · Ancient Origins · 68/98 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Lugia-EX sells for $556 against $16.92 raw: a $539 spread, 33× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($69.44) 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)
- $16.92
- PSA 10
- $556
- PSA 9
- $69.44
- Gem premium
- 33×
- 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 | $556 | +$514 | +$489 | +$389 |
| PSA 9 | $69.44 | +$27.52 | +$2.52 | −$97.48 |
| PSA 8 | $27.18 | −$14.74 | −$39.74 | −$140 |
Net = sale price − $16.92 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% | $191 | +$124 |
| 50% | $313 | +$246 |
| 75% | $434 | +$367 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA 10 | $556 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $48.83 | −$507 | 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 | TAG | ACE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $556 | $48.83 | — | $178 |
| 9.5 | — | $52.59 | — | — |
| 9 | $69.44 | $34.87 | $47.00 | — |
| 8.5 | — | $37.43 | — | — |
| 8 | $27.18 | $9.01 | — | — |
| 7 | $22.84 | — | — | — |
| 6.5 | — | $13.50 | — | — |
| 6 | $13.64 | — | — | — |
| 5 | $14.99 | — | — | — |
| 4 | $13.47 | — | — | — |
| 3 | $10.00 | — | — | — |
| 2 | $7.00 | — | — | — |
| 1 | $26.08 | — | — | — |
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 Lugia-EX — FAQ
Is Lugia-EX worth grading?
A PSA 10 Lugia-EX sells for $556 against $16.92 raw: a $539 spread, 33× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($69.44) 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 Lugia-EX worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Lugia-EX (Ancient Origins 68/98) sells for about $556 versus $16.92 for a raw near-mint copy — a 33× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Lugia-EX?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $556, ahead of CGC 10 at $48.83. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Lugia-EX 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.
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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