Is Growlithe worth grading?
Pokémon · Base Set 2 · 42/130 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Growlithe sells for $114 against $1.67 raw: a $112 spread, 68× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($30.26) 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)
- $1.67
- PSA 10
- $114
- PSA 9
- $30.26
- Gem premium
- 68×
- 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 | $114 | +$87.38 | +$62.38 | −$37.62 |
| PSA 9 | $30.26 | +$3.59 | −$21.41 | −$121 |
| PSA 8 | $15.91 | −$10.76 | −$35.76 | −$136 |
Net = sale price − $1.67 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% | $51.21 | −$0.46 |
| 50% | $72.16 | +$20.48 |
| 75% | $93.10 | +$41.43 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 26%. 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 | $114 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $30.00 | −$84.05 | 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | $114 | $30.00 |
| 9.5 | — | $11.00 |
| 9 | $30.26 | $11.96 |
| 8 | $15.91 | — |
| 7 | $31.00 | — |
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 Growlithe — FAQ
Is Growlithe worth grading?
A PSA 10 Growlithe sells for $114 against $1.67 raw: a $112 spread, 68× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($30.26) 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 Growlithe worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Growlithe (Base Set 2 42/130) sells for about $114 versus $1.67 for a raw near-mint copy — a 68× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Growlithe?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $114, ahead of CGC 10 at $30.00. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Growlithe 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 Growlithe break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Growlithe breaks even when it gems about 26% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $30.26).
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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