Is Escavalier worth grading?
Pokémon · Black Bolt · 138/086 · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 15× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Escavalier sells for $256 against $17.14 raw: a $239 spread, 15× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($26.77) 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)
- $17.14
- PSA 10
- $256
- PSA 9
- $26.77
- Gem premium
- 15×
- As of
- Oct 4, 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 | $256 | +$214 | +$189 | +$88.74 |
| PSA 9 | $26.77 | −$15.37 | −$40.37 | −$140 |
| PSA 8 | $18.92 | −$23.22 | −$48.22 | −$148 |
Net = sale price − $17.14 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% | $84.05 | +$16.91 |
| 50% | $141 | +$74.18 |
| 75% | $199 | +$131 |
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 | $256 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $38.60 | −$217 | 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 Escavalier — FAQ
Is Escavalier worth grading?
A PSA 10 Escavalier sells for $256 against $17.14 raw: a $239 spread, 15× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($26.77) 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 Escavalier worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Escavalier (Black Bolt 138/086) sells for about $256 versus $17.14 for a raw near-mint copy — a 15× premium as of Oct 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Escavalier?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $256, ahead of CGC 10 at $38.60. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Escavalier 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 Escavalier break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Escavalier breaks even when it gems about 18% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $26.77).
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