Is Lugia-EX worth grading?
Pokémon · Ancient Origins · 94/98 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Lugia-EX sells for $4,549 against $212 raw: a $4,337 spread, 21× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($698) 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)
- $212
- PSA 10
- $4,549
- PSA 9
- $698
- Gem premium
- 21×
- 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 | $4,549 | +$4,312 | +$4,287 | +$4,187 |
| PSA 9 | $698 | +$461 | +$436 | +$336 |
| PSA 8 | $351 | +$114 | +$89.49 | −$10.51 |
Net = sale price − $212 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% | $1,660 | +$1,399 |
| 50% | $2,623 | +$2,361 |
| 75% | $3,586 | +$3,324 |
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 | $4,549 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $331 | −$4,217 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $4,549 | $331 | — | — | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | $293 | — | — |
| 9 | $698 | $291 | $135 | $105 | $600 |
| 8.5 | $800 | $108 | $282 | — | — |
| 8 | $351 | $224 | $70.03 | — | — |
| 7.5 | — | $88.00 | — | — | — |
| 7 | $204 | $142 | $135 | — | — |
| 6.5 | — | $116 | — | — | — |
| 6 | $139 | $60.00 | — | — | — |
| 5 | $129 | — | — | — | $160 |
| 4 | $19.00 | — | — | — | — |
| 3.5 | — | $25.20 | — | — | — |
| 3 | $63.00 | — | — | — | — |
| 2 | $81.29 | — | — | — | — |
| 1 | $160 | — | — | — | — |
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 $4,549 against $212 raw: a $4,337 spread, 21× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($698) 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 94/98) sells for about $4,549 versus $212 for a raw near-mint copy — a 21× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Lugia-EX?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $4,549, ahead of CGC 10 at $331. 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.
Check my card free