Is Volcanion worth grading?
Pokémon · XY Black Star Promos · XY145 · full price guide →
Worth grading only if it gems
A PSA 9 Volcanion brings $199 versus $79.95 raw — a $119 spread that covers an economy-tier ~$25 grading fee. A PSA 9 ($98.64) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming.
- Raw (NM)
- $79.95
- PSA 9
- $199
- PSA 9
- $98.64
- Gem premium
- 2.5×
- 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 9 | $199 | +$93.91 | +$68.91 | −$31.09 |
| PSA 9 | $98.64 | −$6.31 | −$31.31 | −$131 |
| PSA 8 | $19.43 | −$85.52 | −$111 | −$211 |
Net = sale price − $79.95 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% | $124 | −$6.25 |
| 50% | $149 | +$18.80 |
| 75% | $174 | +$43.86 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 31%. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses — measure it before you decide.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | PSA |
|---|---|
| 9 | $199 |
| 8 | $91.39 |
| 7 | $33.30 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other XY Black Star Promos cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Volcanion — FAQ
Is Volcanion worth grading?
A PSA 9 Volcanion brings $199 versus $79.95 raw — a $119 spread that covers an economy-tier ~$25 grading fee. A PSA 9 ($98.64) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming.
What gem rate makes grading Volcanion break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Volcanion breaks even when it gems about 31% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $98.64).
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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