Is Dratini worth grading?
Pokémon · Base Set 2 · 38/130 · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 116× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Dratini sells for $146 against $1.26 raw: a $144 spread, 116× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($12.18) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $1.26
- PSA 10
- $146
- PSA 9
- $12.18
- Gem premium
- 116×
- 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 | $146 | +$119 | +$94.41 | −$5.59 |
| PSA 9 | $12.18 | −$14.08 | −$39.08 | −$139 |
| PSA 8 | $19.54 | −$6.72 | −$31.72 | −$132 |
Net = sale price − $1.26 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% | $45.55 | −$5.71 |
| 50% | $78.92 | +$27.66 |
| 75% | $112 | +$61.04 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 29%. 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 | $146 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $16.09 | −$130 | 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 | $146 | $16.09 | — |
| 9 | $12.18 | $8.01 | $24.00 |
| 8.5 | — | $15.99 | $9.50 |
| 8 | $19.54 | $5.00 | — |
| 7.5 | — | $4.00 | — |
| 7 | $27.50 | — | — |
| 5 | $7.99 | — | — |
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 Dratini — FAQ
Is Dratini worth grading?
A PSA 10 Dratini sells for $146 against $1.26 raw: a $144 spread, 116× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($12.18) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
How much is a PSA 10 Dratini worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Dratini (Base Set 2 38/130) sells for about $146 versus $1.26 for a raw near-mint copy — a 116× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Dratini?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $146, ahead of CGC 10 at $16.09. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Dratini 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 Dratini break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Dratini breaks even when it gems about 29% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $12.18).
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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