Is Squirtle worth grading?
Pokémon · Base Set 2 · 93/130 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Squirtle sells for $208 against $2.02 raw: a $206 spread, 103× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($44.64) 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)
- $2.02
- PSA 10
- $208
- PSA 9
- $44.64
- Gem premium
- 103×
- 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 | $208 | +$181 | +$156 | +$56.29 |
| PSA 9 | $44.64 | +$17.62 | −$7.38 | −$107 |
| PSA 8 | $26.53 | −$0.49 | −$25.49 | −$125 |
Net = sale price − $2.02 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% | $85.56 | +$33.54 |
| 50% | $126 | +$74.45 |
| 75% | $167 | +$115 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 5%. 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 | $208 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $38.75 | −$170 | 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 | TAG | ACE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $208 | $38.75 | — | — | — |
| 9.5 | — | $44.89 | — | — | — |
| 9 | $44.64 | $18.15 | $30.00 | $30.99 | $47.01 |
| 8.5 | — | $13.94 | — | — | — |
| 8 | $26.53 | $10.21 | — | — | — |
| 7 | $21.95 | — | — | — | — |
| 6.5 | — | $11.50 | — | — | — |
| 6 | $13.78 | $5.00 | — | — | — |
| 5.5 | — | $11.97 | — | — | — |
| 5 | $17.34 | $15.00 | — | — | — |
| 4 | $6.00 | — | $10.00 | — | — |
| 3 | $8.00 | — | — | — | — |
| 2.5 | — | $13.00 | — | — | — |
| 2 | $15.00 | — | — | — | — |
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 Squirtle — FAQ
Is Squirtle worth grading?
A PSA 10 Squirtle sells for $208 against $2.02 raw: a $206 spread, 103× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($44.64) 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 Squirtle worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Squirtle (Base Set 2 93/130) sells for about $208 versus $2.02 for a raw near-mint copy — a 103× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Squirtle?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $208, ahead of CGC 10 at $38.75. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Squirtle 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 Squirtle break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Squirtle breaks even when it gems about 5% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $44.64).
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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