Only pack-fresh Dialga-EX #122 Secret Rare, Gengar-EX #114 Full Art, M Gengar-EX #35, M Gengar-EX #121 Secret and M Manectric-EX #120 Secret are worth grading from Phantom Forces. Submit them only when centering, corners and edges look strong enough for PSA 9 or 10.
Grading means an authenticator assigns a 1-10 condition score and seals the card in a slab. XY-Phantom Forces launched November 5, 2014 with 119 cards plus 3 secrets, according to The Pokémon Company in the XY-Phantom Forces set page. Mega Gengar-EX, Mega Manectric-EX and seven Pokémon-EX headline the set.
Table of Contents
- Why is Dialga-EX #122 the top grading target?
- Why does Gengar carry the biggest premium?
- When does grading pay?
- How do you choose copies to send?
Why is Dialga-EX #122 the top grading target?
Dialga-EX #122 Secret Rare uses a Full Metal etched white and metal print. PriceCharting lists it around $402 ungraded, around $2,130 in Grade 9 and around $14,179 in PSA 10 in current Phantom Forces market data. That gap rewards only high-grade slabs.
PSA cert data counts only 55 copies graded higher than PSA 9 Mint. PSA estimates PSA 9 copies at $2,209-$2,216. Buyers pay for confirmed Mint or better, not for raw risk.
Why does Gengar carry the biggest premium?
Gengar-EX #114 Full Art shows the largest grading premium in the set. PriceCharting lists it around $340 ungraded versus around $4,198 in Grade 9 and around $26,505 in PSA 10 in sorted Phantom Forces price data. Pack-fresh Mint copies are prime grading candidates.
M Gengar-EX #35 follows the same pattern at around $75 raw, around $352 in Grade 9 and around $3,100 in PSA 10, according to PriceCharting. M Gengar-EX #121 Secret and M Manectric-EX #120 Secret round out the other high-end slabs. ZeroPop grading guides favor high-demand characters like Gengar and closed-print vintage EX cards where PSA 10 trades at 2x raw or more.
When does grading pay?
Submit only Near Mint raw cards worth $50 or more, ZeroPop and Non-Sport.Cards guides advise. Focus on Gengar, Dialga and Mega EX ultra and secret rares from this closed-print set. Commons, uncommons and played holos rarely justify the fee. PSA's cheapest open direct tier is $59.99 Standard for 90-100 days with a $1,000 maximum value.
The tier starts Sept. 14, 2026, and Regular costs $79.99 plus shipping, according to PreGradeCards and CardLines reporting in their PSA tier update. Fees plus shipping set a hard floor. A PSA 8 or played copy often fails to clear it.
How do you choose copies to send?
Pre-grade every candidate under bright light before paying a fee. Grand Screen and PreGradeCards guides recommend sending only likely PSA 9-10 examples and leaving the rest raw.
A single soft corner can drop a Phantom Forces EX from a profitable PSA 10 to a losing submission. Sort strictly, then submit fewer cards with stronger grades.
- Check centering on front and back.
- Check corners for whitening or bends.
- Check edges and holo surface for wear.
- Send only likely PSA 9-10 Gengar, Dialga and Mega EX hits.
- Leave bulk commons, uncommons and played holos raw.
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