Is Carracosta worth grading?
Pokémon · Black Bolt · 107/086 · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 18× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Carracosta sells for $254 against $13.77 raw: a $240 spread, 18× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($21.19) 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)
- $13.77
- PSA 10
- $254
- PSA 9
- $21.19
- Gem premium
- 18×
- 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 | $254 | +$215 | +$190 | +$90.17 |
| PSA 9 | $21.19 | −$17.58 | −$42.58 | −$143 |
| PSA 8 | $20.83 | −$17.94 | −$42.94 | −$143 |
Net = sale price − $13.77 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% | $79.38 | +$15.61 |
| 50% | $138 | +$73.80 |
| 75% | $196 | +$132 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 18%. 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 | $254 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| TAG 10 | $150 | −$104 | 55/45 | 72/28 |
| CGC 10 | $45.00 | −$209 | 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 | $254 | $45.00 | $150 | $64.07 |
| 9 | $21.19 | $20.00 | — | — |
| 8 | $20.83 | — | — | — |
| 7 | — | — | — | $12.51 |
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 Carracosta — FAQ
Is Carracosta worth grading?
A PSA 10 Carracosta sells for $254 against $13.77 raw: a $240 spread, 18× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($21.19) 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 Carracosta worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Carracosta (Black Bolt 107/086) sells for about $254 versus $13.77 for a raw near-mint copy — a 18× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Carracosta?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $254, ahead of TAG 10 at $150. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Carracosta 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 Carracosta break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Carracosta breaks even when it gems about 18% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $21.19).
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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