Best Sandstorm Cards to Grade
The Sandstorm cards worth grading, ranked by expected profit per submission — every grade outcome weighted by how often the card actually receives it — after current grading fees. The PSA 10 best case is shown on every row but does not decide the order. Top pick: Typhlosion ex at an expected +$1,020.
Ranked by expected profit 29
| # | Card | Raw | PSA 9 | PSA 10 | Cost | Best case | Gem rate | Expected | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Expected +$1,020 per submission: 5% of 1,992 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($19,200), and a PSA 9 ($1,170) still clears the $1,461 you have in it. Confidence high on that sample. | $250 | $1,170 | $19,200 | $1,211 | +$17,739 | 5% | +$1,020 | 1,992 high |
| 2 | Expected +$933 per submission: 3.9% of 1,682 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($22,000), and a PSA 9 ($899) still clears the $1,434 you have in it. Confidence high on that sample. | $195 | $899 | $22,000 | $1,239 | +$20,566 | 3.9% | +$933 | 1,682 high |
| 3 | Expected +$720 per submission: 5.4% of 1,947 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($15,450), and a PSA 9 ($1,376) still clears the $1,665 you have in it. Confidence high on that sample. | $491 | $1,376 | $15,450 | $1,174 | +$13,786 | 5.4% | +$720 | 1,947 high |
| 4 | Expected +$658 per submission: 12.1% of 265 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($6,100), and a PSA 9 ($308) still clears the $745 you have in it. Confidence high on that sample. | $65 | $308 | $6,100 | $680 | +$5,355 | 12.1% | +$658 | 265 high |
| 5 | Expected +$550 per submission: 3.6% of 1,519 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($13,433), and a PSA 9 ($960) still clears the $1,337 you have in it. Confidence high on that sample. | $184 | $960 | $13,433 | $1,153 | +$12,097 | 3.6% | +$550 | 1,519 high |
| 6 | Expected +$465 per submission: 5% of 383 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($7,100), and a PSA 9 ($700) still clears the $819 you have in it. Confidence high on that sample. | $129 | $700 | $7,100 | $690 | +$6,281 | 5% | +$465 | 383 high |
| 7 | Expected +$403 per submission: 5.3% of 1,378 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($7,000), and a PSA 9 ($620) still clears the $806 you have in it. Confidence high on that sample. | $117 | $620 | $7,000 | $689 | +$6,194 | 5.3% | +$403 | 1,378 high |
| 8 | Expected +$247 per submission: 29.3% of 375 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($749), and a PSA 9 ($299) still clears the $102 you have in it. Confidence high on that sample. | $15 | $299 | $749 | $87 | +$647 | 29.3% | +$247 | 375 high |
| 9 | Expected +$244 per submission: 14.3% of 252 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($1,776), and a PSA 9 ($275) still clears the $271 you have in it. Confidence high on that sample. | $34 | $275 | $1,776 | $237 | +$1,505 | 14.3% | +$244 | 252 high |
| 10 | Expected +$213 per submission: 6.8% of 1,506 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($2,500), and a PSA 9 ($550) still clears the $349 you have in it. Confidence high on that sample. | $105 | $550 | $2,500 | $244 | +$2,151 | 6.8% | +$213 | 1,506 high |
| 11 | Expected +$206 per submission: 6.2% of 1,691 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($4,000), and a PSA 9 ($634) still clears the $659 you have in it. Confidence high on that sample. | $250 | $634 | $4,000 | $409 | +$3,341 | 6.2% | +$206 | 1,691 high |
| 12 | Expected +$204 per submission: 8.7% of 630 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($3,000), and a PSA 9 ($395) still clears the $579 you have in it. Confidence high on that sample. | $180 | $395 | $3,000 | $399 | +$2,421 | 8.7% | +$204 | 630 high |
| 13 | Expected +$162 per submission: 9.1% of 243 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($2,760), and only a PSA 10 covers the $426 you have in it — a 9 loses money. Confidence high on that sample. | $29 | $87 | $2,760 | $397 | +$2,335 | 9.1% | +$162 | 243 high |
| 14 | Expected +$143 per submission: 11% of 688 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($1,145), and a PSA 9 ($300) still clears the $151 you have in it. Confidence high on that sample. | $40 | $300 | $1,145 | $111 | +$994 | 11% | +$143 | 688 high |
| 15 | Expected +$138 per submission: 5.5% of 650 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($2,300), and a PSA 9 ($450) still clears the $401 you have in it. Confidence high on that sample. | $159 | $450 | $2,300 | $242 | +$1,899 | 5.5% | +$138 | 650 high |
| 16 | Expected +$138 per submission: 17.1% of 251 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($1,225), and only a PSA 10 covers the $177 you have in it — a 9 loses money. Confidence high on that sample. | $65 | $135 | $1,225 | $112 | +$1,048 | 17.1% | +$138 | 251 high |
| 17 | Expected +$128 per submission: 15.7% of 235 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($1,057), and a PSA 9 ($150) still clears the $146 you have in it. Confidence high on that sample. | $35 | $150 | $1,057 | $111 | +$911 | 15.7% | +$128 | 235 high |
| 18 | Expected +$102 per submission: 7.4% of 269 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($1,590), and a PSA 9 ($213) still clears the $275 you have in it. Confidence high on that sample. | $40 | $213 | $1,590 | $235 | +$1,315 | 7.4% | +$102 | 269 high |
| 19 | Expected +$99 per submission: 9.6% of 240 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($1,781), and a PSA 9 ($120) still clears the $273 you have in it. Confidence high on that sample. | $36 | $120 | $1,781 | $237 | +$1,508 | 9.6% | +$99 | 240 high |
| 20 | Expected +$81 per submission: 6.6% of 244 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($2,550), and only a PSA 10 covers the $425 you have in it — a 9 loses money. Confidence high on that sample. | $30 | $57 | $2,550 | $395 | +$2,126 | 6.6% | +$81 | 244 high |
| 21 | Expected +$78 per submission: 17.2% of 273 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($675), and a PSA 9 ($110) still clears the $99 you have in it. Confidence high on that sample. | $12 | $110 | $675 | $87 | +$576 | 17.2% | +$78 | 273 high |
| 22 | Expected +$71 per submission: 5.3% of 489 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($1,770), and a PSA 9 ($175) still clears the $252 you have in it. Confidence high on that sample. | $15 | $175 | $1,770 | $237 | +$1,518 | 5.3% | +$71 | 489 high |
| 23 | Expected +$60 per submission: 20.2% of 109 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($750), and only a PSA 10 covers the $106 you have in it — a 9 loses money. Confidence high on that sample. | $19 | $11 | $750 | $87 | +$644 | 20.2% | +$60 | 109 high |
| 24 | Expected +$39 per submission: 16.4% of 354 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($635), and only a PSA 10 covers the $106 you have in it — a 9 loses money. Confidence high on that sample. | $20 | $54 | $635 | $86 | +$529 | 16.4% | +$39 | 354 high |
| 25 | Expected +$27 per submission: 17.3% of 387 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($515), and only a PSA 10 covers the $98 you have in it — a 9 loses money. Confidence high on that sample. | $13 | $50 | $515 | $85 | +$417 | 17.3% | +$27 | 387 high |
| 26 | Expected +$23 per submission: 17.3% of 179 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($405), and only a PSA 10 covers the $94 you have in it — a 9 loses money. Confidence high on that sample. | $10 | $74 | $405 | $84 | +$311 | 17.3% | +$23 | 179 high |
| 27 | Expected +$15 per submission: 21.5% of 265 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($400), and only a PSA 10 covers the $104 you have in it — a 9 loses money. Confidence high on that sample. | $20 | $50 | $400 | $84 | +$296 | 21.5% | +$15 | 265 high |
| 28 | Expected loss −$8 per submission: 35% of 40 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($153), and only a PSA 10 covers the $88 you have in it — a 9 loses money. Confidence medium on that sample. | $6 | $51 | $153 | $82 | +$65 | 35% | −$8 | 40 medium |
| 29 | Expected loss −$35 per submission: 5.7% of 228 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($200), and a PSA 9 ($150) still clears the $127 you have in it. Confidence high on that sample. | $45 | $150 | $200 | $82 | +$73 | 5.7% | −$35 | 228 high |
Expected = every grade outcome weighted by its share of the card's graded population, minus the raw price and the grading cost (PSA tier fee for the graded value plus ~$20 round-trip shipping, fees as of 2026-09-26). Best case is the PSA 10 leg alone. Gem rates come from a self-selected population — collectors grade their cleanest copies — so read them as an upper bound. Raw is a blended market price, not a sale of your copy. Full method and filters on the grading index.
How to read the Sandstorm ranking
Every Sandstorm card listed here clears one bar: its PSA 10 price beats its raw price by more than the cost of grading it. 29 cards from the set pass. 29 of them (100%) have a gem-rate sample of at least ten graded copies in the population reports, and 27 of those keep a positive expected value once every grade outcome is weighted by how often the card actually receives it.
The order is expected profit, not the PSA 10 best case, which rewards the widest raw-to-gem gap whether the card gems one time in two or one in fifty. Here the top row, the Typhlosion ex from Sandstorm, gems 5% of the time across 1,992 graded copies: +$1,020 is what a long run of submissions would average, $17,739 is what one lucky copy returns.
The median gem rate across the sampled Sandstorm cards is 9.1%. Roughly one submitted copy in 11 came back PSA 10, and most rows here still cover raw price plus fee at PSA 9, so the PSA 9 price does most of the work. Of the 29 ranked cards, 20 still cover raw price plus fee at PSA 9, 9 need a 10 to break even and 2 lose money on expectation. 28 rest on a hundred or more graded copies.
Before you submit a Sandstorm card
Grading pays on condition. The four things every grader scores — centering, corners, edges and surface — can be checked at home before paying a fee, and a copy that is visibly off-centre or has a whitened corner will not gem whatever the population says. Those gem rates come from a self-selected population of clean copies, so a random copy does worse.
The cost column assumes a PSA submission at the tier covering the card's PSA 10 value, fees as of 2026-09-26, and raw is CardTrack's blended near-mint price, not a sale of your copy: pay more, or hold a lighter copy, and the break-even moves against you. Test a card with your own numbers in the ROI calculator, see the printings that fail the bar on the Sandstorm card list, or see how gem-mint premiums run across the whole catalogue on the PSA premium index.