Is Metapod worth grading?
Pokémon · Base Set 2 · 81/130 · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 97× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Metapod sells for $68.75 against $0.71 raw: a $68.04 spread, 97× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($15.53) 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)
- $0.71
- PSA 10
- $68.75
- PSA 9
- $15.53
- Gem premium
- 97×
- 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 | $68.75 | +$43.04 | +$18.04 | −$81.96 |
| PSA 9 | $15.53 | −$10.18 | −$35.18 | −$135 |
| PSA 8 | $8.00 | −$17.71 | −$42.71 | −$143 |
Net = sale price − $0.71 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% | $28.84 | −$21.88 |
| 50% | $42.14 | −$8.57 |
| 75% | $55.45 | +$4.73 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 66%. 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 | $68.75 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $17.29 | −$51.46 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| TAG 10 | $16.00 | −$52.75 | 55/45 | 72/28 |
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 | TAG |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $68.75 | $17.29 | $16.00 |
| 9.5 | — | $7.10 | — |
| 9 | $15.53 | $9.41 | — |
| 8.5 | — | $8.00 | — |
| 8 | $8.00 | $19.00 | — |
| 7.5 | — | $9.99 | — |
| 7 | $8.50 | — | — |
| 5.5 | — | $6.00 | — |
| 5 | $8.50 | — | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
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Other Base Set 2 cards worth checking
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Grading Metapod — FAQ
Is Metapod worth grading?
A PSA 10 Metapod sells for $68.75 against $0.71 raw: a $68.04 spread, 97× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($15.53) 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 Metapod worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Metapod (Base Set 2 81/130) sells for about $68.75 versus $0.71 for a raw near-mint copy — a 97× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Metapod?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $68.75, ahead of CGC 10 at $17.29. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Metapod 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 Metapod break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Metapod breaks even when it gems about 66% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $15.53).
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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