Is Pansage worth grading?
Pokémon · Black Bolt · 089/086 · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 16× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Pansage sells for $392 against $25.14 raw: a $367 spread, 16× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($35.39) 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)
- $25.14
- PSA 10
- $392
- PSA 9
- $35.39
- Gem premium
- 16×
- 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 | $392 | +$342 | +$317 | +$217 |
| PSA 9 | $35.39 | −$14.75 | −$39.75 | −$140 |
| PSA 8 | $15.50 | −$34.64 | −$59.64 | −$160 |
Net = sale price − $25.14 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% | $125 | +$49.40 |
| 50% | $214 | +$139 |
| 75% | $303 | +$228 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 11%. 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 | $392 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $38.59 | −$353 | 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | $392 | $38.59 |
| 9.5 | — | $18.98 |
| 9 | $35.39 | $8.26 |
| 8 | $15.50 | — |
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 Pansage — FAQ
Is Pansage worth grading?
A PSA 10 Pansage sells for $392 against $25.14 raw: a $367 spread, 16× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($35.39) 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 Pansage worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Pansage (Black Bolt 089/086) sells for about $392 versus $25.14 for a raw near-mint copy — a 16× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Pansage?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $392, ahead of CGC 10 at $38.59. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Pansage 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 Pansage break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Pansage breaks even when it gems about 11% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $35.39).
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.
Check my card free