Is Dark Gyarados worth grading?
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Strong grading candidate — 15× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Dark Gyarados sells for $82.77 against $5.56 raw: a $77.21 spread, 15× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($30.12) 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)
- $5.56
- PSA 10
- $82.77
- PSA 9
- $30.12
- Gem premium
- 15×
- As of
- Sep 26, 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 | $82.77 | +$52.21 | +$27.21 | −$72.79 |
| PSA 9 | $30.12 | −$0.44 | −$25.44 | −$125 |
| PSA 8 | $32.19 | +$1.63 | −$23.37 | −$123 |
Net = sale price − $5.56 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% | $43.28 | −$12.28 |
| 50% | $56.45 | +$0.88 |
| 75% | $69.61 | +$14.05 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 48%. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BGS 10 | $193 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| TAG 10 | $91.50 | −$101 | 55/45 | 72/28 |
| PSA 10 | $82.77 | −$110 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $43.84 | −$149 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $21.28 | −$171 | 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.
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Grading Dark Gyarados — FAQ
Is Dark Gyarados worth grading?
A PSA 10 Dark Gyarados sells for $82.77 against $5.56 raw: a $77.21 spread, 15× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($30.12) 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 Dark Gyarados worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Dark Gyarados (Celebrations: Classic Collection) sells for about $82.77 versus $5.56 for a raw near-mint copy — a 15× premium as of Sep 26, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Dark Gyarados?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $193, ahead of TAG 10 at $91.50. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Dark Gyarados need for a BGS 10?
BGS publishes 55/45 front and 70/30 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 Dark Gyarados break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Dark Gyarados breaks even when it gems about 48% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $30.12).
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