Is Dragonair worth grading?
Pokémon · Base Set 2 · 22/130 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Dragonair sells for $130 against $12.81 raw: a $118 spread, 10× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($54.28) 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)
- $12.81
- PSA 10
- $130
- PSA 9
- $54.28
- Gem premium
- 10×
- 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 — PSA 10 | $130 | +$92.66 | +$67.66 | −$32.34 |
| PSA 9 | $54.28 | +$16.47 | −$8.53 | −$109 |
| PSA 8 | $55.86 | +$18.05 | −$6.95 | −$107 |
Net = sale price − $12.81 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% | $73.33 | +$10.52 |
| 50% | $92.38 | +$29.56 |
| 75% | $111 | +$48.61 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 11%. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses — measure it before you decide.
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 | $130 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $69.99 | −$60.48 | 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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Grading Dragonair — FAQ
Is Dragonair worth grading?
A PSA 10 Dragonair sells for $130 against $12.81 raw: a $118 spread, 10× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($54.28) 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 Dragonair worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Dragonair (Base Set 2 22/130) sells for about $130 versus $12.81 for a raw near-mint copy — a 10× premium as of Sep 27, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Dragonair?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $130, ahead of CGC 10 at $69.99. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Dragonair 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.
What gem rate makes grading Dragonair break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Dragonair breaks even when it gems about 11% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $54.28).
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