Is Salamence worth grading?
Pokémon · XY Black Star Promos · XY59 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 9 Salamence sells for $1,100 against $45.19 raw: a $1,055 spread, 24× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($1,100) 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)
- $45.19
- PSA 9
- $1,100
- PSA 9
- $1,100
- Gem premium
- 24×
- 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 | $1,100 | +$1,030 | +$1,005 | +$905 |
| PSA 9 | $1,100 | +$1,030 | +$1,005 | +$905 |
| PSA 8 | $190 | +$120 | +$95.23 | −$4.77 |
Net = sale price − $45.19 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% | $1,100 | +$1,005 |
| 50% | $1,100 | +$1,005 |
| 75% | $1,100 | +$1,005 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | PSA | CGC | ACE |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | $1,100 | $49.93 | — |
| 8.5 | — | $100 | — |
| 8 | $190 | $99.99 | — |
| 7.5 | $124 | — | — |
| 7 | $88.62 | — | $52.94 |
| 6 | $38.50 | — | — |
| 5 | $27.12 | — | — |
| 4 | $16.12 | — | — |
| 1 | $300 | — | — |
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
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Grading Salamence — FAQ
Is Salamence worth grading?
A PSA 9 Salamence sells for $1,100 against $45.19 raw: a $1,055 spread, 24× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($1,100) 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.
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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