Is Energy Retrieval worth grading?
Pokémon · Ancient Origins · 99/98 · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 7.6× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Energy Retrieval sells for $160 against $21.10 raw: a $138 spread, 7.6× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($20.81) sells for less than raw, so anything short of a 10 loses money. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $21.10
- PSA 10
- $160
- PSA 9
- $20.81
- Gem premium
- 7.6×
- 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 | $160 | +$113 | +$88.47 | −$11.53 |
| PSA 9 | $20.81 | −$25.29 | −$50.29 | −$150 |
| PSA 8 | $23.02 | −$23.08 | −$48.08 | −$148 |
Net = sale price − $21.10 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% | $55.50 | −$15.60 |
| 50% | $90.19 | +$19.09 |
| 75% | $125 | +$53.78 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 36%. 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 | $160 | best | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $160 | — | — |
| 9 | $20.81 | $57.90 | — |
| 8.5 | — | — | $29.00 |
| 8 | $23.02 | $20.00 | — |
| 7 | $10.81 | $12.00 | $6.04 |
| 6 | $6.00 | — | — |
| 5 | $14.00 | — | — |
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 Energy Retrieval — FAQ
Is Energy Retrieval worth grading?
A PSA 10 Energy Retrieval sells for $160 against $21.10 raw: a $138 spread, 7.6× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($20.81) sells for less than raw, so anything short of a 10 loses money. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
How much is a PSA 10 Energy Retrieval worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Energy Retrieval (Ancient Origins 99/98) sells for about $160 versus $21.10 for a raw near-mint copy — a 7.6× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
What centering does Energy Retrieval 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 Energy Retrieval break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Energy Retrieval breaks even when it gems about 36% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $20.81).
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