Is Volcanion worth grading?
Pokémon · XY Black Star Promos · XY185 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Volcanion sells for $523 against $11.20 raw: a $512 spread, 47× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($45.02) 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)
- $11.20
- PSA 10
- $523
- PSA 9
- $45.02
- Gem premium
- 47×
- 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 | $523 | +$487 | +$462 | +$362 |
| PSA 9 | $45.02 | +$8.82 | −$16.18 | −$116 |
| PSA 8 | $29.13 | −$7.07 | −$32.07 | −$132 |
Net = sale price − $11.20 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% | $165 | +$103 |
| 50% | $284 | +$223 |
| 75% | $404 | +$342 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 3%. 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 | $523 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $87.04 | −$436 | 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 | $523 | $87.04 | — | $330 |
| 9.5 | — | $76.00 | — | — |
| 9 | $45.02 | $16.25 | $32.00 | — |
| 8.5 | — | $6.15 | — | — |
| 8 | $29.13 | $17.97 | — | — |
| 7.5 | — | — | $14.00 | — |
| 7 | $20.00 | — | — | — |
| 5 | $19.99 | — | — | — |
Run your own numbers
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Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other XY Black Star Promos cards worth checking
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Grading Volcanion — FAQ
Is Volcanion worth grading?
A PSA 10 Volcanion sells for $523 against $11.20 raw: a $512 spread, 47× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($45.02) 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 Volcanion worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Volcanion (XY Black Star Promos XY185) sells for about $523 versus $11.20 for a raw near-mint copy — a 47× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Volcanion?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $523, ahead of CGC 10 at $87.04. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Volcanion 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 Volcanion break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Volcanion breaks even when it gems about 3% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $45.02).
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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