Is Blastoise worth grading?
Pokémon · Base Set 2 · 2/130 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Blastoise sells for $1,990 against $150 raw: a $1,840 spread, 13× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($566) 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)
- $150
- PSA 10
- $1,990
- PSA 9
- $566
- Gem premium
- 13×
- 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 | $1,990 | +$1,815 | +$1,790 | +$1,690 |
| PSA 9 | $566 | +$391 | +$366 | +$266 |
| PSA 8 | $277 | +$102 | +$77.31 | −$22.69 |
Net = sale price − $150 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% | $922 | +$722 |
| 50% | $1,278 | +$1,078 |
| 75% | $1,634 | +$1,434 |
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 | $1,990 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $994 | −$996 | 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 | ACE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $1,990 | $994 | — | — | — | $83.20 |
| 9.5 | — | $407 | — | $277 | — | — |
| 9 | $566 | $308 | $269 | — | — | $317 |
| 8.5 | $250 | $243 | $277 | — | — | — |
| 8 | $277 | $201 | $166 | $120 | $166 | $204 |
| 7.5 | — | $166 | $75.97 | $150 | $300 | — |
| 7 | $181 | $116 | $107 | $55.57 | — | — |
| 6.5 | — | $63.76 | $77.39 | $125 | — | — |
| 6 | $125 | $91.28 | — | $54.11 | — | $135 |
| 5.5 | — | $54.98 | — | — | — | — |
| 5 | $97.09 | $85.74 | — | $805 | $57.89 | $72.94 |
| 4.5 | — | $78.80 | $60.00 | — | — | — |
| 4 | $90.42 | $89.74 | $50.00 | — | — | $80.87 |
| 3.5 | — | $74.99 | — | — | — | — |
| 3 | $73.33 | $72.10 | — | — | $69.99 | — |
| 2.5 | — | $161 | — | — | — | — |
| 2 | $69.43 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1.5 | $100 | $150 | — | — | — | — |
| 1 | $131 | — | — | — | — | — |
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 Blastoise — FAQ
Is Blastoise worth grading?
A PSA 10 Blastoise sells for $1,990 against $150 raw: a $1,840 spread, 13× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($566) 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 Blastoise worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Blastoise (Base Set 2 2/130) sells for about $1,990 versus $150 for a raw near-mint copy — a 13× premium as of Aug 19, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Blastoise?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $1,990, ahead of CGC 10 at $994. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Blastoise 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.
Check my card free
