Swampert ex, Entei ex, Sceptile ex, and Blaziken ex are the strongest grading candidates from EX Team Magma vs Team Aqua. Cradily ex also deserves inspection, while Suicune ex and Raikou ex need a more selective approach. "Worth grading" means the likely grade creates enough added value to justify the grading cost and risk. That makes condition—not the card's name alone—the deciding factor.
Table of Contents
- Start with the seven Pokémon-ex cards
- The five strongest grading candidates
- Population reports show why condition matters
- Be selective with Suicune and Raikou
- Do not overlook reverse-holo Squirtle and Pikachu
- Screen each card before submitting
Start with the seven Pokémon-ex cards
The pokémon Company's official 2004 checklist identifies seven rare holo Pokémon-ex cards, numbered 89 through 95: Blaziken, Cradily, Entei, Raikou, Sceptile, Suicune, and Swampert. These cards form the natural starting point, but they do not offer equal grading upside. Current price gaps favor five cards when the copy has a realistic chance at a high grade.
The five strongest grading candidates
priceCharting's current set values show substantial differences between raw, Grade 9, and PSA 10 prices: Swampert, Entei, Sceptile, and Blaziken combine meaningful raw value with large high-grade premiums. Cradily is cheaper ungraded, but its PSA 10 figure makes an exceptionally clean copy worth screening.
Those PSA 10 prices should not make an average copy an automatic submission. The smaller Grade 9 outcomes provide a more practical benchmark when estimating whether a card can cover grading fees and still improve its value.
- Swampert ex #95: about $192 raw, $1,043 at Grade 9, and $8,300 at PSA 10.
- Entei ex #91: about $179 raw, $877 at Grade 9, and $8,799 at PSA 10.
- Sceptile ex #93: about $175 raw, $1,251 at Grade 9, and $6,090 at PSA 10.
- Blaziken ex #89: about $196 raw, $1,127 at Grade 9, and $4,608 at PSA 10.
- Cradily ex #90: about $67 raw, $214 at Grade 9, and $2,550 at PSA 10.
Population reports show why condition matters
Pikawiz's PSA-population compilation reports only 30 PSA 10 Entei copies from 954 graded, 38 Sceptile from 676, 32 Blaziken from 876, and 28 Cradily from 519. These figures show that gem-mint examples represent a small portion of reported submissions.
That scarcity supports the large PSA 10 premiums, but it also warns against planning around a perfect grade. A card that appears clean in a sleeve may still have edge wear, surface damage, print defects, or centering problems that become obvious under direct light.
Be selective with Suicune and Raikou
Suicune ex #94 and Raikou ex #92 are not poor cards, but their current grading spreads are less compelling. PriceCharting lists Suicune near $230 raw and $1,217 at PSA 10, while Raikou is about $164 raw and $788 at PSA 10 on its current values page.
Submit these cards when the copy is exceptionally sharp or when authentication and protection matter more than maximizing resale value. With thinner premiums, an ordinary high-grade result leaves less room for fees, shipping, and differences between tracked values and an actual selling price.
Do not overlook reverse-holo Squirtle and Pikachu
The best grading opportunities are not limited to Pokémon-ex cards. PriceCharting tracks reverse-holo Squirtle #46 near $244 raw and $7,206 at PSA 10, while reverse-holo Pikachu #43 is near $107 raw and $3,052 at PSA 10.
Both deserve the same strict inspection as the leading ex cards. Their high PSA 10 figures indicate potential upside, but only a copy with outstanding surfaces, edges, corners, and centering should be evaluated as a gem-mint candidate.
Screen each card before submitting
PSA defines a 10 as virtually perfect, with sharp corners, original gloss, no staining, and centering of roughly 55/45 or better on the front and 75/25 or better on the reverse. PSA's grading standards also note that eye appeal can affect borderline results. Before paying for grading:.
- Remove the card from its sleeve and inspect it under angled light.
- Check the holo surface for scratches, dents, and print lines.
- Examine all four corners and edges for whitening or chipping.
- Compare the left-right and top-bottom borders on both sides.
- Judge the submission using the likely Grade 9 value, not only the PSA 10 value.
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