Is Dark Gyarados worth grading?
Pokémon · Team Rocket · 8/82 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Dark Gyarados sells for $3,877 against $199 raw: a $3,678 spread, 19× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($542) 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)
- $199
- PSA 10
- $3,877
- PSA 9
- $542
- Gem premium
- 19×
- 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 | $3,877 | +$3,653 | +$3,628 | +$3,528 |
| PSA 9 | $542 | +$318 | +$293 | +$193 |
| PSA 8 | $288 | +$63.92 | +$38.92 | −$61.08 |
Net = sale price − $199 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% | $1,376 | +$1,127 |
| 50% | $2,209 | +$1,960 |
| 75% | $3,043 | +$2,794 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
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 | $3,877 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| TAG 10 | $2,250 | −$1,627 | 55/45 | 72/28 |
| CGC 10 | $968 | −$2,909 | 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 | TAG | ACE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $1,979 | $278 | — | — | $2,250 | $62.17 |
| 9.5 | — | $107 | $500 | $60.07 | — | — |
| 9 | $155 | $96.35 | $73.53 | $130 | $143 | $123 |
| 8.5 | $60.02 | $79.29 | $42.40 | $80.00 | $66.00 | — |
| 8 | $80.78 | $53.08 | $24.00 | $34.69 | $199 | — |
| 7.5 | $44.00 | $47.99 | $150 | — | — | — |
| 7 | $65.18 | $26.56 | $40.00 | $27.00 | $45.00 | $87.08 |
| 6.5 | — | $31.00 | — | — | $104 | — |
| 6 | $56.05 | $29.15 | — | $27.00 | — | — |
| 5.5 | — | $55.90 | — | — | — | — |
| 5 | $41.40 | $21.96 | — | $66.00 | — | — |
| 4 | $25.15 | $13.00 | — | $6.00 | — | — |
| 3.5 | — | $10.00 | — | — | — | — |
| 3 | $28.82 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2 | $26.06 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1 | $87.22 | $21.04 | — | — | — | — |
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 Gyarados — FAQ
Is Dark Gyarados worth grading?
A PSA 10 Dark Gyarados sells for $3,877 against $199 raw: a $3,678 spread, 19× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($542) 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 Gyarados worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Dark Gyarados (Team Rocket 8/82) sells for about $3,877 versus $199 for a raw near-mint copy — a 19× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Dark Gyarados?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $3,877, ahead of TAG 10 at $2,250. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Dark Gyarados 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.
Check my card free
