Is Poliwag worth grading?
Pokémon · Expedition Base Set · 125/165 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Poliwag sells for $156 against $19.37 raw: a $136 spread, 8.0× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($46.27) 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)
- $19.37
- PSA 10
- $156
- PSA 9
- $46.27
- Gem premium
- 8.0×
- 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 | $156 | +$111 | +$86.29 | −$13.71 |
| PSA 9 | $46.27 | +$1.90 | −$23.10 | −$123 |
| PSA 8 | $35.18 | −$9.19 | −$34.19 | −$134 |
Net = sale price − $19.37 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% | $73.62 | +$4.25 |
| 50% | $101 | +$31.59 |
| 75% | $128 | +$58.94 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 21%. 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 | $1,103 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $94.39 | −$1,009 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $29.78 | −$1,074 | 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 | $1,103 | $94.39 | $29.78 |
| 9.5 | — | $122 | — |
| 9 | $79.39 | $28.00 | — |
| 8.5 | — | $24.97 | — |
| 8 | $35.18 | — | — |
| 7.5 | — | $23.00 | — |
| 7 | $18.00 | — | — |
| 6 | $6.02 | — | — |
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 Poliwag — FAQ
Is Poliwag worth grading?
A PSA 10 Poliwag sells for $156 against $19.37 raw: a $136 spread, 8.0× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($46.27) 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 Poliwag worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Poliwag (Expedition Base Set 125/165) sells for about $156 versus $19.37 for a raw near-mint copy — a 8.0× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Poliwag?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $1,103, ahead of CGC 10 at $94.39. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Poliwag 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 Poliwag break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Poliwag breaks even when it gems about 21% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $46.27).
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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