Is Ponyta worth grading?
Pokémon · Pokémon TCG Classic - Charizard · 004/034 · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 29× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Ponyta sells for $130 against $4.53 raw: a $125 spread, 29× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($9.99) 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)
- $4.53
- PSA 10
- $130
- PSA 9
- $9.99
- Gem premium
- 29×
- 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 | $130 | +$100 | +$75.46 | −$24.54 |
| PSA 9 | $9.99 | −$19.54 | −$44.54 | −$145 |
Net = sale price − $4.53 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% | $39.99 | −$14.54 |
| 50% | $69.99 | +$15.46 |
| 75% | $99.99 | +$45.46 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 37%. 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 | $130 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $13.82 | −$116 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $9.99 | −$120 | 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 | SGC |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $130 | $13.82 | $9.99 |
| 9.5 | — | $7.47 | — |
| 9 | $9.99 | $10.40 | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
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Other Pokémon TCG Classic - Charizard cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Ponyta — FAQ
Is Ponyta worth grading?
A PSA 10 Ponyta sells for $130 against $4.53 raw: a $125 spread, 29× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($9.99) 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 Ponyta worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Ponyta (Pokémon TCG Classic - Charizard 004/034) sells for about $130 versus $4.53 for a raw near-mint copy — a 29× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Ponyta?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $130, ahead of CGC 10 at $13.82. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Ponyta 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 Ponyta break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Ponyta breaks even when it gems about 37% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $9.99).
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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