Is Arcanine worth grading?
Pokémon · Base Set 2 · 33/130 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Arcanine sells for $104 against $1.96 raw: a $102 spread, 53× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($32.82) 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)
- $1.96
- PSA 10
- $104
- PSA 9
- $32.82
- Gem premium
- 53×
- 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 | $104 | +$77.46 | +$52.46 | −$47.54 |
| PSA 9 | $32.82 | +$5.86 | −$19.14 | −$119 |
| PSA 8 | $31.23 | +$4.27 | −$20.73 | −$121 |
Net = sale price − $1.96 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% | $50.72 | −$1.24 |
| 50% | $68.62 | +$16.66 |
| 75% | $86.52 | +$34.56 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 27%. 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 | $104 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $80.00 | −$24.42 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $104 | $80.00 | — |
| 9.5 | — | $19.00 | $34.04 |
| 9 | $32.82 | $24.99 | $18.64 |
| 8.5 | — | $6.00 | — |
| 8 | $31.23 | $12.96 | — |
| 7 | $9.99 | — | — |
| 5 | $25.85 | — | — |
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 Arcanine — FAQ
Is Arcanine worth grading?
A PSA 10 Arcanine sells for $104 against $1.96 raw: a $102 spread, 53× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($32.82) 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 Arcanine worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Arcanine (Base Set 2 33/130) sells for about $104 versus $1.96 for a raw near-mint copy — a 53× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Arcanine?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $104, ahead of CGC 10 at $80.00. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Arcanine 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 Arcanine break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Arcanine breaks even when it gems about 27% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $32.82).
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