Is Magikarp worth grading?
Pokémon · Expedition Base Set · 118/165 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Magikarp sells for $711 against $31.91 raw: a $679 spread, 22× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($174) 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)
- $31.91
- PSA 10
- $711
- PSA 9
- $174
- Gem premium
- 22×
- 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 | $711 | +$654 | +$629 | +$529 |
| PSA 9 | $174 | +$117 | +$91.60 | −$8.40 |
| PSA 8 | $94.93 | +$38.02 | +$13.02 | −$86.98 |
Net = sale price − $31.91 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% | $308 | +$226 |
| 50% | $442 | +$360 |
| 75% | $577 | +$495 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
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 | $997 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $353 | −$644 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $99.99 | −$897 | 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 | TAG |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $997 | $30.80 | $80.00 | — |
| 9.5 | — | $21.77 | — | — |
| 9 | $244 | $25.49 | — | $60.00 |
| 8.5 | — | $15.99 | — | $288 |
| 8 | $110 | $20.50 | — | — |
| 7.5 | — | $97.00 | — | — |
| 7 | $45.00 | — | — | — |
| 6 | $49.82 | $18.50 | — | — |
| 5 | $12.09 | — | — | — |
| 1 | $136 | — | — | — |
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 Magikarp — FAQ
Is Magikarp worth grading?
A PSA 10 Magikarp sells for $711 against $31.91 raw: a $679 spread, 22× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($174) 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 Magikarp worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Magikarp (Expedition Base Set 118/165) sells for about $711 versus $31.91 for a raw near-mint copy — a 22× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Magikarp?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $997, ahead of CGC 10 at $353. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Magikarp 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.
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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