Only mint copies of Gardevoir-EX Secret Rare 116/114 and Mega Gardevoir-EX Full Art 112/114 are worth grading — grading means PSA assigns a condition score and seals the card in a slab. Volcanion-EX Secret Rare 115/114 is the only other realistic option, and only when it looks flawless.
XY Steam Siege, listed by Bulbapedia as XY11, released August 3, 2016 with 114 cards plus 2 secret rares. It holds six Pokemon-EX, seven Pokemon BREAK and returning dual-types. Value sits in very few cards, so condition and grading math decide everything.
Table of Contents
- Why most Steam Siege cards lose money graded
- The three cards worth a closer look
- What PSA 10 actually requires
- Do the math before you submit
- Why BREAKs rarely make sense
Why most Steam Siege cards lose money graded
Steam Siege is highly concentrated. PokemonCardValue reports complete set value near $472, with the top 10 cards holding 77% of value. About 100 of 116 cards trade below $5 raw, according to PokemonCardValue set data.
That structure leaves almost no margin for fees. A low-value card can earn PSA 9 and still sell for less than submission cost. Collectors should treat bulk holos, commons and most BREAKs as binder cards.
The three cards worth a closer look
Gardevoir-EX Secret Rare 116/114 is the clearest candidate. PriceCharting places it near $88-$108 raw and near $1,912 in PSA 10, about a 20x premium, according to PriceCharting sales data.
Mega Gardevoir-EX Full Art 112/114 ranks second at about $56-$58 raw. PSA cert data and Cardrake price data place PSA 10 examples near $169-$172, with population around 938-941. Volcanion-EX Secret Rare 115/114 ranks third near $37-$40 raw, followed by Mega Gardevoir-EX 79/114, Steelix-EX and Professor Sycamore full arts, per Cardrake and CardCodex.
What PSA 10 actually requires
PSA defines PSA 10 as essentially perfect, with extremely strong centering and pristine corners and surface. PSA 9 allows nearly perfect condition with one minor flaw. PSA 8 means excellent condition with slight corner fray or a print imperfection.
Steam Siege holos show flaws easily. Soft corners, holo scratches and centering outside 55/45 can drop a pack-fresh card to PSA 8 or 9. Check centering front and back, edges under light, and the holo surface before paying a fee.
Do the math before you submit
Practical grading math from Pokemon Price Tracker and CardPregrading favors raw value above about $75-$100. The likely PSA 10 price should reach 2x raw or more.
All-in cost runs near $35-$45 per card, or $59.99-$79.99 for PSA Standard during 2026 backlog pauses, according to Pokemon Price Tracker ROI guidance. Use this quick check:.
- Raw value above $75, or a true gem copy of Volcanion-EX
- Recent PSA 10 sales at least double raw value
- Centering, corners, edges and surface all look pack-perfect
- Total fee, shipping and insurance still leaves profit after a PSA 9 outcome
Why BREAKs rarely make sense
Most modern submissions return PSA 8 or 9, according to CardPregrading. Common causes are soft corners, holo scratches and centering outside 55/45. That outcome is fatal for low-value BREAKs.
Xerneas BREAK 82/114 trades near $5 raw, with PSA 9 population at 83 in the cited PSA cert example. Even a clean grade rarely covers fees, shipping and waiting time. Keep BREAKs raw unless the copy is centered, sharp and scratch-free enough for a real PSA 10 attempt.
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