Is Poliwhirl worth grading?
Pokémon · Base · 38/102 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Poliwhirl sells for $1,344 against $35.96 raw: a $1,308 spread, 37× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($154) clears the raw price after an economy-tier ~$25 fee, so a near-miss still comes out ahead. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $35.96
- PSA 10
- $1,344
- PSA 9
- $154
- Gem premium
- 37×
- As of
- Aug 10, 2026
Break-even by outcome and fee
| If it comes back… | Sells for | Economy / bulk (~$25.00) | Standard (~$50.00) | Express (~$150) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gem — PSA 10 | $1,344 | +$1,283 | +$1,258 | +$1,158 |
| PSA 9 | $154 | +$93.46 | +$68.46 | −$31.54 |
| PSA 8 | $77.18 | +$16.22 | −$8.78 | −$109 |
Net = sale price − $35.96 raw value − fee. Fee tiers are illustrative; plug your grader's current price into the calculator below.
Expected value — how often does it need to gem?
| Chance it gems | Expected sale | Expected net (standard fee) |
|---|---|---|
| 25% | $452 | +$366 |
| 50% | $749 | +$663 |
| 75% | $1,046 | +$960 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
Which grader pays the most — and what a 10 takes
All centering standards →| Grader | 10 sells for | vs best | Front centering for a 10 | Back |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA 10 | $1,344 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $378 | −$966 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $61.46 | −$1,282 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
Tolerances are each company's published centering standard for its top grade; surface, corners and edges must also be clean. Centering is the one you can measure yourself before you pay.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | PSA | CGC | BGS | SGC | TAG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $285 | $59.05 | — | $61.46 | — |
| 9.5 | — | $27.36 | $45.00 | — | — |
| 9 | $52.47 | $45.49 | $20.50 | $4.00 | $12.00 |
| 8.5 | $40.00 | $17.09 | $12.00 | $6.00 | $15.87 |
| 8 | $31.35 | $17.23 | — | $13.00 | $14.92 |
| 7.5 | $99.99 | $9.48 | — | — | — |
| 7 | $33.60 | $12.99 | — | $16.00 | $7.00 |
| 6.5 | — | $10.50 | — | — | — |
| 6 | $14.13 | — | — | $12.00 | — |
| 5.5 | — | $5.50 | — | — | $13.96 |
| 5 | $33.83 | $5.00 | — | — | — |
| 4 | $10.95 | — | — | $15.00 | — |
| 3 | $7.02 | — | — | — | — |
| 2.5 | — | $0.10 | — | — | — |
| 2 | $25.52 | — | — | — | — |
| 1 | $30.00 | — | — | — | — |
Run your own numbers
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Other Base cards worth checking
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Grading Poliwhirl — FAQ
Is Poliwhirl worth grading?
A PSA 10 Poliwhirl sells for $1,344 against $35.96 raw: a $1,308 spread, 37× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($154) clears the raw price after an economy-tier ~$25 fee, so a near-miss still comes out ahead. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
How much is a PSA 10 Poliwhirl worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Poliwhirl (Base 38/102) sells for about $1,344 versus $35.96 for a raw near-mint copy — a 37× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Poliwhirl?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $1,344, ahead of CGC 10 at $378. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Poliwhirl need for a PSA 10?
PSA publishes 55/45 front and 75/25 back centering as the tolerance for a 10 (Gem Mint). Off-center copies are capped below the top grade regardless of surface — measure yours before paying the fee.
Is your Pokémon card centered well enough to grade?
Centering makes or breaks a PSA 10. Scan any card with Midpoint to measure its exact centering, get a grade estimate, and see what your copy is actually worth.
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