Is Maintenance worth grading?
Pokémon · Base Set 2 · 112/130 · full price guide →
Grading rarely pays for this card
CGC 10 copies of Maintenance sell for $25.22, only $24.20 above the $1.02 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($13.68) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
- Raw (NM)
- $1.02
- CGC 10
- $25.22
- PSA 9
- $13.68
- Gem premium
- 25×
- 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 — CGC 10 | $25.22 | −$0.80 | −$25.80 | −$126 |
| PSA 9 | $13.68 | −$12.34 | −$37.34 | −$137 |
Net = sale price − $1.02 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% | $16.56 | −$34.45 |
| 50% | $19.45 | −$31.57 |
| 75% | $22.34 | −$28.68 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CGC 10 | $25.22 | best | 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | — | $25.22 |
| 9 | $13.68 | $7.00 |
| 8.5 | — | $1.25 |
| 3 | $6.00 | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other Base Set 2 cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Maintenance — FAQ
Is Maintenance worth grading?
CGC 10 copies of Maintenance sell for $25.22, only $24.20 above the $1.02 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($13.68) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
What centering does Maintenance need for a CGC 10?
CGC 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.
Check my card free