Is Karen worth grading?
Pokémon · XY Black Star Promos · XY177 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Karen sells for $952 against $12.71 raw: a $939 spread, 75× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($52.15) 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)
- $12.71
- PSA 10
- $952
- PSA 9
- $52.15
- Gem premium
- 75×
- 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 | $952 | +$914 | +$889 | +$789 |
| PSA 9 | $52.15 | +$14.44 | −$10.56 | −$111 |
| PSA 8 | $74.41 | +$36.70 | +$11.70 | −$88.30 |
Net = sale price − $12.71 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% | $277 | +$214 |
| 50% | $502 | +$439 |
| 75% | $727 | +$664 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 1%. 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 | $952 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $499 | −$453 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $952 | $499 | — |
| 9 | $52.15 | $44.97 | $65.00 |
| 8 | $74.41 | — | — |
| 7 | $38.79 | — | — |
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 Karen — FAQ
Is Karen worth grading?
A PSA 10 Karen sells for $952 against $12.71 raw: a $939 spread, 75× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($52.15) 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 Karen worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Karen (XY Black Star Promos XY177) sells for about $952 versus $12.71 for a raw near-mint copy — a 75× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Karen?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $952, ahead of CGC 10 at $499. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Karen 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 Karen break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Karen breaks even when it gems about 1% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $52.15).
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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