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 $122 against $2.22 raw: a $120 spread, 55× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($35.16) 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
- $122
- PSA 9
- $35.16
- Gem premium
- 55×
- 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 | $122 | +$94.51 | +$69.51 | −$30.49 |
| PSA 9 | $35.16 | +$7.94 | −$17.06 | −$117 |
| PSA 8 | $33.81 | +$6.59 | −$18.41 | −$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% | $56.80 | +$4.58 |
| 50% | $78.44 | +$26.22 |
| 75% | $100 | +$47.87 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 20%. 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 | $122 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $40.00 | −$81.73 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $122 | $40.00 | — | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | $34.99 | — |
| 9 | $35.16 | $17.16 | — | $6.02 |
| 8.5 | — | $16.97 | — | — |
| 8 | $33.81 | $21.10 | — | — |
| 7.5 | — | $20.00 | — | — |
| 7 | $19.79 | $6.00 | — | $11.00 |
| 6 | $19.28 | $6.00 | — | — |
| 5 | $12.85 | — | — | — |
| 3 | $11.00 | — | — | — |
| 2.5 | — | $16.00 | — | — |
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 Charmeleon — FAQ
Is Charmeleon worth grading?
A PSA 10 Charmeleon sells for $122 against $2.22 raw: a $120 spread, 55× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($35.16) 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 $122 versus $2.22 for a raw near-mint copy — a 55× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Charmeleon?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $122, ahead of CGC 10 at $40.00. 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 20% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $35.16).
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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