Is Axew worth grading?
Pokémon · Black Bolt · 145/086 · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 11× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Axew sells for $220 against $20.57 raw: a $199 spread, 11× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($25.18) 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)
- $20.57
- PSA 10
- $220
- PSA 9
- $25.18
- Gem premium
- 11×
- 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 | $220 | +$174 | +$149 | +$49.30 |
| PSA 9 | $25.18 | −$20.39 | −$45.39 | −$145 |
| PSA 8 | $19.23 | −$26.34 | −$51.34 | −$151 |
Net = sale price − $20.57 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% | $73.85 | +$3.28 |
| 50% | $123 | +$51.96 |
| 75% | $171 | +$101 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 23%. 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 | $220 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| TAG 10 | $190 | −$29.87 | 55/45 | 72/28 |
| CGC 10 | $59.58 | −$160 | 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 | TAG | ACE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $220 | $59.58 | — | $190 | — |
| 9.5 | — | $9.00 | — | — | — |
| 9 | $25.18 | $11.00 | $25.50 | $29.53 | $25.35 |
| 8.5 | — | $14.40 | — | — | — |
| 8 | $19.23 | — | — | — | — |
| 7 | $23.99 | — | — | — | — |
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 Axew — FAQ
Is Axew worth grading?
A PSA 10 Axew sells for $220 against $20.57 raw: a $199 spread, 11× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($25.18) 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 Axew worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Axew (Black Bolt 145/086) sells for about $220 versus $20.57 for a raw near-mint copy — a 11× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Axew?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $220, ahead of TAG 10 at $190. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Axew 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 Axew break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Axew breaks even when it gems about 23% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $25.18).
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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