Is Dark Machoke worth grading?
Pokémon · Team Rocket · 40/82 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Dark Machoke sells for $51.74 against $6.42 raw: a $45.32 spread, 8.1× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($51.47) 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)
- $6.42
- PSA 10
- $51.74
- PSA 9
- $51.47
- Gem premium
- 8.1×
- 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 | $51.74 | +$20.32 | −$4.68 | −$105 |
| PSA 9 | $51.47 | +$20.05 | −$4.95 | −$105 |
| PSA 8 | $24.31 | −$7.11 | −$32.11 | −$132 |
Net = sale price − $6.42 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% | $51.54 | −$4.88 |
| 50% | $51.61 | −$4.81 |
| 75% | $51.67 | −$4.75 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
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 | $44.34 | −$164 | 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 | $208 | $24.00 | — | — |
| 9.5 | — | $14.48 | $69.25 | — |
| 9 | $49.83 | $17.06 | $15.00 | $26.00 |
| 8.5 | $42.54 | $10.99 | $23.00 | — |
| 8 | $19.91 | $10.00 | — | — |
| 7.5 | — | $8.00 | — | — |
| 7 | $8.01 | — | — | — |
| 6 | $5.99 | — | — | — |
| 5 | $20.64 | — | — | — |
| 4 | $14.99 | — | — | — |
| 2 | $3.00 | — | — | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other Team Rocket cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Dark Machoke — FAQ
Is Dark Machoke worth grading?
A PSA 10 Dark Machoke sells for $51.74 against $6.42 raw: a $45.32 spread, 8.1× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($51.47) 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 Dark Machoke worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Dark Machoke (Team Rocket 40/82) sells for about $51.74 versus $6.42 for a raw near-mint copy — a 8.1× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Dark Machoke?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $208, ahead of CGC 10 at $44.34. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Dark Machoke 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.
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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