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 $23.92 above the $1.30 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($14.39) 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)
- $1.30
- CGC 10
- $25.22
- PSA 9
- $14.39
- Gem premium
- 19×
- As of
- Sep 27, 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 | −$1.08 | −$26.08 | −$126 |
| PSA 9 | $14.39 | −$11.91 | −$36.91 | −$137 |
| PSA 8 | $19.43 | −$6.87 | −$31.87 | −$132 |
Net = sale price − $1.30 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% | $17.10 | −$34.20 |
| 50% | $19.80 | −$31.50 |
| 75% | $22.51 | −$28.79 |
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.
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Raw conditions & history →Run your own numbers
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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 $23.92 above the $1.30 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($14.39) 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.
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