Is Cyndaquil worth grading?
Pokémon · Expedition Base Set · 105/165 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Cyndaquil sells for $312 against $12.81 raw: a $299 spread, 24× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($52.32) 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)
- $12.81
- PSA 10
- $312
- PSA 9
- $52.32
- Gem premium
- 24×
- 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 | $312 | +$274 | +$249 | +$149 |
| PSA 9 | $52.32 | +$14.51 | −$10.49 | −$110 |
| PSA 8 | $28.34 | −$9.47 | −$34.47 | −$134 |
Net = sale price − $12.81 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% | $117 | +$54.39 |
| 50% | $182 | +$119 |
| 75% | $247 | +$184 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 4%. 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 | $1,227 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $180 | −$1,047 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $88.00 | −$1,139 | 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 | ACE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $1,227 | $180 | $88.00 | $268 |
| 9.5 | — | $100 | — | — |
| 9 | $37.80 | $125 | $10.91 | — |
| 8.5 | — | $75.00 | — | — |
| 8 | $62.78 | $90.07 | — | $67.65 |
| 7.5 | — | $7.00 | — | — |
| 7 | $86.01 | — | — | — |
| 6 | $10.00 | — | — | — |
| 5 | $8.00 | — | — | — |
| 3 | $20.00 | — | — | — |
| 1 | $180 | — | — | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other Expedition Base Set cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Cyndaquil — FAQ
Is Cyndaquil worth grading?
A PSA 10 Cyndaquil sells for $312 against $12.81 raw: a $299 spread, 24× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($52.32) 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 Cyndaquil worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Cyndaquil (Expedition Base Set 105/165) sells for about $312 versus $12.81 for a raw near-mint copy — a 24× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Cyndaquil?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $1,227, ahead of CGC 10 at $180. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Cyndaquil 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 Cyndaquil break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Cyndaquil breaks even when it gems about 4% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $52.32).
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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