Compare · EN ↔ JP
Japanese or English — which one to grade?
For every card with a recognized counterpart, we line the two prints up side by side and give one extractable answer. Honest: sometimes the call is the other language, sometimes it's skip both.
Charizard ex (151)
Grade the English 199 if either — it is the only side with positive expected value, and even then only as a ~30% PSA 10 chase. The Japanese 201 is far cheaper to own, but its PSA 10 premium does not clear the ¥8,000 domestic grading fee in expectation. Under a likely PSA 9, skip both.
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Umbreon VMAX (Moonbreon)
Both clear, but grade the Japanese 095 for the better margin: a ~2.7× PSA 10 premium on a ¥45,000 raw beats the English 215 ~2.4× on a pricier $320 raw. The English is the easier flip if you are US-based; the Japanese carries the stronger premium multiple. Skip either under PSA 9.
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Rayquaza VMAX (Alt Art)
Grade the Japanese Sky Stream print: its PSA 10 premium (~2.7×) runs richer than the English Evolving Skies 218 (~2.1×), and the community read is JP roughly 2× the English (a labeled estimate, not asserted). Both have positive EV; the Japanese has the stronger margin. Skip either under PSA 9.
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Mew ex (151)
Both are PSA 10 chases on a ~30% gem rate, not safe sends. The Japanese 205 SAR has the bigger ceiling — a ~10× PSA 10 on a ¥3,000 raw — but the same low odds; the English 193 is a thinner ~3.4×. Chasing the 10, the Japanese has more upside, but a PSA 9 erases the margin on either.
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Giratina V (Alt Art)
Grade the Japanese Lost Abyss 111 — it clears raw plus the fee at a ~3.5× PSA 10 premium. We cannot yet call the English Lost Origin 186: only 2 recent PSA 10 sales, too thin to judge, so we hold rather than guess. Revisit the English side once more sales post.
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Lugia V (Alt Art)
Both clear the bar. Grade whichever you can source cheaper: the Japanese Paradigm Trigger 110 runs a ~2.9× PSA 10 premium against the English Silver Tempest 186 ~2.5×, so the Japanese edges it on margin. Neither is a PSA 9 send.
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Venusaur ex (151)
Both are ~30% PSA 10 chases. The Japanese 200 SAR has the larger ceiling (~10× on a ¥2,500 raw) but the same low odds; the English 198 SIR is a thinner ~3.2×. Chase the Japanese for upside, but expect a PSA 9 — which leaves little margin on either.
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Blastoise ex (151)
Both are PSA 10 chases at a ~30% gem rate. The Japanese 202 SAR offers the bigger multiple (~9× on a ¥2,800 raw); the English 200 SIR is a steadier ~3.3×. Either way the call rides on hitting the 10 — a PSA 9 barely clears costs.
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