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 $123 against $10.95 raw: a $112 spread, 11× 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)
- $10.95
- PSA 10
- $123
- PSA 9
- $39.18
- Gem premium
- 11×
- As of
- Aug 19, 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 | $123 | +$87.30 | +$62.30 | −$37.70 |
| PSA 9 | $39.18 | +$3.23 | −$21.77 | −$122 |
| PSA 8 | $23.80 | −$12.15 | −$37.15 | −$137 |
Net = sale price − $10.95 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% | $60.20 | −$0.75 |
| 50% | $81.22 | +$20.27 |
| 75% | $102 | +$41.28 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 26%. 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 | $123 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $41.50 | −$81.75 | 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 | SGC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $123 | $41.50 | — | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | $12.00 |
| 9 | $39.18 | $20.00 | — | — |
| 8.5 | — | — | — | $11.00 |
| 8 | $23.80 | $8.39 | — | — |
| 7.5 | — | $13.00 | — | — |
| 7 | $17.01 | — | — | — |
| 6 | $13.06 | $10.00 | — | — |
| 5 | — | — | $12.00 | — |
| 4.5 | — | $20.00 | — | — |
| 4 | — | $7.00 | — | — |
| 1 | $50.00 | — | — | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
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Other XY Black Star Promos cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Blastoise-EX — FAQ
Is Blastoise-EX worth grading?
A PSA 10 Blastoise-EX sells for $123 against $10.95 raw: a $112 spread, 11× 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 $123 versus $10.95 for a raw near-mint copy — a 11× premium as of Aug 19, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Blastoise-EX?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $123, 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 26% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $39.18).
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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