Is Tirtouga worth grading?
Pokémon · Black Bolt · 106/086 · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 4.4× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Tirtouga sells for $173 against $39.64 raw: a $133 spread, 4.4× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($53.19) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $39.64
- PSA 10
- $173
- PSA 9
- $53.19
- Gem premium
- 4.4×
- 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 | $173 | +$108 | +$82.96 | −$17.04 |
| PSA 9 | $53.19 | −$11.45 | −$36.45 | −$136 |
| PSA 8 | $26.28 | −$38.36 | −$63.36 | −$163 |
Net = sale price − $39.64 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% | $83.04 | −$6.60 |
| 50% | $113 | +$23.25 |
| 75% | $143 | +$53.11 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 31%. 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 | $173 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| TAG 10 | $125 | −$47.60 | 55/45 | 72/28 |
| CGC 10 | $49.16 | −$123 | 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 | $173 | $49.16 | $125 | $133 |
| 9.5 | — | $39.81 | — | — |
| 9 | $53.19 | $11.50 | — | $26.73 |
| 8.5 | $29.93 | — | $44.98 | — |
| 8 | $26.28 | — | $34.98 | — |
| 7 | — | $4.99 | — | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other Black Bolt cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Tirtouga — FAQ
Is Tirtouga worth grading?
A PSA 10 Tirtouga sells for $173 against $39.64 raw: a $133 spread, 4.4× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($53.19) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
How much is a PSA 10 Tirtouga worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Tirtouga (Black Bolt 106/086) sells for about $173 versus $39.64 for a raw near-mint copy — a 4.4× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Tirtouga?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $173, ahead of TAG 10 at $125. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Tirtouga 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 Tirtouga break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Tirtouga breaks even when it gems about 31% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $53.19).
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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