Is Defender worth grading?
Pokémon · Base · 80/102 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Defender sells for $890 against $19.98 raw: a $870 spread, 45× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($241) 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)
- $19.98
- PSA 10
- $890
- PSA 9
- $241
- Gem premium
- 45×
- As of
- Aug 19, 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 | $890 | +$845 | +$820 | +$720 |
| PSA 9 | $241 | +$196 | +$171 | +$70.97 |
| PSA 8 | $49.76 | +$4.78 | −$20.22 | −$120 |
Net = sale price − $19.98 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% | $403 | +$333 |
| 50% | $565 | +$495 |
| 75% | $727 | +$657 |
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 | $890 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $70.00 | −$820 | 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 | TAG |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $146 | $70.00 | — | — |
| 9.5 | — | $50.00 | $32.00 | — |
| 9 | $70.78 | $26.82 | $12.00 | $13.62 |
| 8.5 | — | $10.83 | — | $9.46 |
| 8 | $55.76 | $8.00 | — | $5.23 |
| 7.5 | — | $6.77 | — | — |
| 7 | $18.26 | $18.95 | — | $4.07 |
| 6.5 | — | $6.00 | — | — |
| 6 | $13.35 | $4.00 | — | $4.00 |
| 5 | $10.50 | — | — | — |
| 4.5 | — | $3.00 | — | — |
| 4 | $9.51 | — | — | — |
| 3 | $25.00 | — | — | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other Base cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Defender — FAQ
Is Defender worth grading?
A PSA 10 Defender sells for $890 against $19.98 raw: a $870 spread, 45× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($241) 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 Defender worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Defender (Base 80/102) sells for about $890 versus $19.98 for a raw near-mint copy — a 45× premium as of Aug 19, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Defender?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $890, ahead of CGC 10 at $70.00. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Defender 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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