Is Ekans worth grading?
Pokémon · Expedition Base Set · 108/165 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Ekans sells for $100 against $4.08 raw: a $95.98 spread, 25× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($30.08) 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)
- $4.08
- PSA 10
- $100
- PSA 9
- $30.08
- Gem premium
- 25×
- 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 | $100 | +$70.98 | +$45.98 | −$54.02 |
| PSA 9 | $30.08 | +$1.00 | −$24.00 | −$124 |
| PSA 8 | $18.34 | −$10.74 | −$35.74 | −$136 |
Net = sale price − $4.08 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% | $47.58 | −$6.50 |
| 50% | $65.07 | +$10.99 |
| 75% | $82.56 | +$28.48 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 34%. 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 | $597 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $120 | −$477 | 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 | ACE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $597 | $120 | — | $80.24 |
| 9.5 | — | $96.00 | $20.00 | — |
| 9 | $50.89 | $62.84 | $13.00 | — |
| 8.5 | — | $48.30 | — | — |
| 8 | $26.82 | $7.00 | — | — |
| 7 | $32.00 | — | — | — |
| 6 | $44.96 | — | — | — |
| 5.5 | — | $8.50 | — | — |
| 5 | $29.99 | $8.00 | — | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
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Other Expedition Base Set cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Ekans — FAQ
Is Ekans worth grading?
A PSA 10 Ekans sells for $100 against $4.08 raw: a $95.98 spread, 25× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($30.08) 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 Ekans worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Ekans (Expedition Base Set 108/165) sells for about $100 versus $4.08 for a raw near-mint copy — a 25× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Ekans?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $597, ahead of CGC 10 at $120. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Ekans 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 Ekans break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Ekans breaks even when it gems about 34% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $30.08).
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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