Is Charmeleon worth grading?
Pokémon · Base Set 2 · 35/130 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Charmeleon sells for $127 against $2.22 raw: a $124 spread, 57× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($39.96) 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)
- $2.22
- PSA 10
- $127
- PSA 9
- $39.96
- Gem premium
- 57×
- 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 | $127 | +$99.37 | +$74.37 | −$25.63 |
| PSA 9 | $39.96 | +$12.74 | −$12.26 | −$112 |
| PSA 8 | $34.18 | +$6.96 | −$18.04 | −$118 |
Net = sale price − $2.22 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% | $61.62 | +$9.40 |
| 50% | $83.28 | +$31.06 |
| 75% | $105 | +$52.71 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 14%. 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 | $127 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $52.17 | −$74.42 | 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.
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Grading Charmeleon — FAQ
Is Charmeleon worth grading?
A PSA 10 Charmeleon sells for $127 against $2.22 raw: a $124 spread, 57× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($39.96) 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 Charmeleon worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Charmeleon (Base Set 2 35/130) sells for about $127 versus $2.22 for a raw near-mint copy — a 57× premium as of Sep 27, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Charmeleon?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $127, ahead of CGC 10 at $52.17. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Charmeleon 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 Charmeleon break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Charmeleon breaks even when it gems about 14% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $39.96).
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