Is Blastoise-EX worth grading?
Pokémon · XY Black Star Promos · XY30 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Blastoise-EX sells for $299 against $10.14 raw: a $288 spread, 29× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($39.18) 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)
- $10.14
- PSA 10
- $299
- PSA 9
- $39.18
- Gem premium
- 29×
- As of
- Oct 6, 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 | $299 | +$263 | +$238 | +$138 |
| PSA 9 | $39.18 | +$4.04 | −$20.96 | −$121 |
| PSA 8 | $34.64 | −$0.50 | −$25.50 | −$126 |
Net = sale price − $10.14 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% | $104 | +$43.89 |
| 50% | $169 | +$109 |
| 75% | $234 | +$174 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 8%. 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 | $299 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $41.50 | −$257 | 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.
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Grading Blastoise-EX — FAQ
Is Blastoise-EX worth grading?
A PSA 10 Blastoise-EX sells for $299 against $10.14 raw: a $288 spread, 29× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($39.18) 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 Blastoise-EX worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Blastoise-EX (XY Black Star Promos XY30) sells for about $299 versus $10.14 for a raw near-mint copy — a 29× premium as of Oct 6, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Blastoise-EX?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $299, ahead of CGC 10 at $41.50. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Blastoise-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.
What gem rate makes grading Blastoise-EX break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Blastoise-EX breaks even when it gems about 8% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $39.18).
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