In EX Deoxys, the Gold Star Rayquaza (107/107) is the card most worth grading, and Rayquaza ex (102/107) is the second-best choice. The rest of the set is worth grading only when a copy looks sharp enough to reach a 9 or 10 and its raw price is high enough to cover the fee. EX Deoxys is a 2005 Pokemon Trading Card Game expansion with 107 cards in its main numbered set.
Grading means paying a company such as PSA or CGC to judge a card's condition, give it a score from 1 to 10 and seal it in a plastic case. A high score can raise a card's price many times over. A low score can leave you with less money than you spent.
Table of Contents
- Why the Gold Star Rayquaza Is Worth Grading
- How Hard Is a 10 on EX Deoxys Cards?
- Is Rayquaza ex (102/107) Worth Grading?
- When Grading Fees Cancel Out the Gain
- Checks to Run Before You Submit
- Frequently Asked Questions
Why the Gold Star Rayquaza Is Worth Grading
The price gap between graded and raw copies is huge. PokePrices.io's Gold Star Rayquaza page lists PSA 10 copies at about $365,800, compared with about $9,400 for an ungraded copy. That is roughly 39 times more. Real sales back up the demand.
According to CardShrine's Gold Star Rayquaza sales record, which draws on Card Ladder data, a CGC Gem Mint 10 sold for $168,000 on July 19, 2026. Listed prices and actual sale prices can be far apart, so use completed sales when you decide what your card might bring. Even a mid-grade copy of this card carries a high raw price. That's why grading makes sense for a Gold Star Rayquaza in any sound condition, not only for copies that look perfect.
How Hard Is a 10 on EX Deoxys Cards?
It is very hard. cardShrine reports that CGC has graded more than 250 Gold Star Rayquazas, but only 12 received a Gem Mint 10 and just one received a Pristine 10. The card stock used in EX Deoxys often shows white wear along the edges. Other Deoxys ex cards from the same period follow the same pattern.
The Deoxys ex #93 from the EX Emerald set is a different card, but its numbers are a useful guide. PSA has graded 610 copies. Only 28 got a 10, about 4.6%, while 168 got a 9 and 162 got an 8. So plan on getting a 9 or lower. If grading only pays off with a 10, the odds are against you.
Is Rayquaza ex (102/107) Worth Grading?
Yes, if your copy looks mint. PriceCharting's Rayquaza ex listing reports PSA 10 sales of about $7,437, while its latest raw Near Mint sale was $185. Price trackers disagree on this card. Sports Card Investor puts the highest PSA 10 sale at $2,500.
Either figure is still far above the raw price, but the gap shows why you should check more than one source before you submit. A Rayquaza ex with visible edge whitening or off-center printing is a weaker bet. Given how few EX-era cards reach a 10, a copy that is only "nice" may come back as an 8. That grade earns much less than the PSA 10 figures above.
When Grading Fees Cancel Out the Gain
For cheaper cards, the fee is often the deciding factor. Under pricing in effect since February 10, 2026, PSA's grading services update sets its Value service at $39.99 per card. For a card worth well under $100 raw, a PSA 9 or lower usually won't earn back that cost.
Expensive cards pay far more. PSA's Premium 10 service starts at $9,999 for items insured up to $350,000, plus $399 for each extra $10,000 of insured value. A top-condition Gold Star Rayquaza could fall into this tier, so count the fee as a real cost before you work out your likely profit. Examples of how this plays out:.
- **Common or uncommon card worth a few dollars raw:** grading almost never pays, even with a 10.
- **Ordinary holo worth under $100 raw:** grade it only if a 10 looks realistic.
- **Rayquaza ex in mint-looking condition:** a strong candidate at standard fee levels.
- **Gold Star Rayquaza:** worth grading in any sound condition, but plan for a higher-value service tier.
Checks to Run Before You Submit
PSA tracks each EX Deoxys card separately. It has its own CardFacts pages for cards such as Deoxys ex Holo #99 and Rayquaza Holo Gold Star #107, plus a PSA population report for the EX Deoxys set.
A population report shows how many copies have been graded at each score, so you can see how scarce a high grade is before you pay. Before sending any card, check it step by step: If the realistic grade minus the fee is below the raw price, keep the card raw or sell it raw.
- **Edges:** look for white wear, the most common flaw on this card stock.
- **Corners:** check under bright light for softening or dings.
- **Centering:** compare the border widths on opposite sides.
- **Surface:** tilt the card to spot scratches on the holo foil.
- **Value by grade:** look up the card's 8, 9 and 10 prices in PSA's price guide, then subtract the fee.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I choose PSA or CGC for EX Deoxys cards?
Both grade this set, and both companies' slabs have sold for high prices. The sales figures above come from PSA 10 listings and a CGC Gem Mint 10 sale, so compare recent completed sales for your exact card in each company's case.
Is Deoxys ex #99 from EX Deoxys worth grading?
Check its PSA CardFacts page and the population report first. If a 9 or 10 sells well above the raw price plus the fee, and your copy has clean edges and good centering, it can be worth sending.
What does "Pristine 10" mean?
It's CGC's highest grade, above Gem Mint 10. Among more than 250 Gold Star Rayquazas CGC has graded, only one has received it.
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