Is Pokémon Center worth grading?
Pokémon · Base Set 2 · 114/130 · full price guide →
Grading rarely pays for this card
PSA 10 copies of Pokémon Center sell for $17.14, only $16.07 above the $1.07 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($10.94) 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)
- $1.07
- PSA 10
- $17.14
- PSA 9
- $10.94
- Gem premium
- 16×
- 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 | $17.14 | −$8.93 | −$33.93 | −$134 |
| PSA 9 | $10.94 | −$15.13 | −$40.13 | −$140 |
| PSA 8 | $7.09 | −$18.98 | −$43.98 | −$144 |
Net = sale price − $1.07 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% | $12.49 | −$38.58 |
| 50% | $14.04 | −$37.03 |
| 75% | $15.59 | −$35.48 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA 10 | $17.14 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $7.77 | −$9.37 | 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 | $17.14 | $7.77 |
| 9.5 | — | $7.00 |
| 9 | $10.94 | — |
| 8 | $7.09 | — |
| 7.5 | — | $10.00 |
| 7 | — | $5.00 |
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 Pokémon Center — FAQ
Is Pokémon Center worth grading?
PSA 10 copies of Pokémon Center sell for $17.14, only $16.07 above the $1.07 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($10.94) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
How much is a PSA 10 Pokémon Center worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Pokémon Center (Base Set 2 114/130) sells for about $17.14 versus $1.07 for a raw near-mint copy — a 16× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Pokémon Center?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $17.14, ahead of CGC 10 at $7.77. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Pokémon Center 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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