Is Darumaka worth grading?
Pokémon · Black Bolt · 097/086 · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 5.0× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Darumaka sells for $84.09 against $16.70 raw: a $67.39 spread, 5.0× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($31.07) 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)
- $16.70
- PSA 10
- $84.09
- PSA 9
- $31.07
- Gem premium
- 5.0×
- 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 | $84.09 | +$42.39 | +$17.39 | −$82.61 |
| PSA 9 | $31.07 | −$10.63 | −$35.63 | −$136 |
| PSA 8 | $16.55 | −$25.15 | −$50.15 | −$150 |
Net = sale price − $16.70 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% | $44.33 | −$22.37 |
| 50% | $57.58 | −$9.12 |
| 75% | $70.84 | +$4.14 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 67%. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TAG 10 | $115 | best | 55/45 | 72/28 |
| PSA 10 | $84.09 | −$30.91 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $14.47 | −$101 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $84.09 | $14.47 | $115 |
| 9.5 | — | $14.96 | — |
| 9 | $31.07 | $9.60 | $34.27 |
| 8 | $16.55 | — | — |
| 7 | $18.48 | — | — |
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 Darumaka — FAQ
Is Darumaka worth grading?
A PSA 10 Darumaka sells for $84.09 against $16.70 raw: a $67.39 spread, 5.0× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($31.07) 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 Darumaka worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Darumaka (Black Bolt 097/086) sells for about $84.09 versus $16.70 for a raw near-mint copy — a 5.0× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Darumaka?
By resale value, TAG 10 leads at $115, ahead of PSA 10 at $84.09. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Darumaka need for a TAG 10?
TAG publishes 55/45 front and 72/28 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 Darumaka break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Darumaka breaks even when it gems about 67% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $31.07).
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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