Is Articuno worth grading?
Pokémon · Pokémon TCG Classic - Blastoise · 009/034 · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 6.1× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Articuno sells for $72.48 against $11.81 raw: a $60.67 spread, 6.1× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($29.22) 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)
- $11.81
- PSA 10
- $72.48
- PSA 9
- $29.22
- Gem premium
- 6.1×
- 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 | $72.48 | +$35.67 | +$10.67 | −$89.33 |
| PSA 9 | $29.22 | −$7.59 | −$32.59 | −$133 |
| PSA 8 | $33.95 | −$2.86 | −$27.86 | −$128 |
Net = sale price − $11.81 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% | $40.03 | −$21.78 |
| 50% | $50.85 | −$10.96 |
| 75% | $61.66 | −$0.15 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 75%. 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 | $72.48 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| TAG 10 | $50.34 | −$22.14 | 55/45 | 72/28 |
| CGC 10 | $24.26 | −$48.22 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $72.48 | $24.26 | — | $50.34 |
| 9.5 | — | $8.59 | $13.00 | — |
| 9 | $29.22 | $12.13 | — | $19.27 |
| 8 | $33.95 | $3.00 | — | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other Pokémon TCG Classic - Blastoise cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Articuno — FAQ
Is Articuno worth grading?
A PSA 10 Articuno sells for $72.48 against $11.81 raw: a $60.67 spread, 6.1× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($29.22) 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 Articuno worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Articuno (Pokémon TCG Classic - Blastoise 009/034) sells for about $72.48 versus $11.81 for a raw near-mint copy — a 6.1× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Articuno?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $72.48, ahead of TAG 10 at $50.34. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Articuno 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 Articuno break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Articuno breaks even when it gems about 75% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $29.22).
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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