Is Shellder worth grading?
Pokémon · Expedition Base Set · 129/165 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Shellder sells for $49.54 against $4.13 raw: a $45.41 spread, 12× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($38.00) 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)
- $4.13
- PSA 10
- $49.54
- PSA 9
- $38.00
- Gem premium
- 12×
- 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 | $49.54 | +$20.41 | −$4.59 | −$105 |
| PSA 9 | $38.00 | +$8.87 | −$16.13 | −$116 |
| PSA 8 | $20.00 | −$9.13 | −$34.13 | −$134 |
Net = sale price − $4.13 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% | $40.88 | −$13.25 |
| 50% | $43.77 | −$10.36 |
| 75% | $46.66 | −$7.48 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
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 | $175 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $143 | −$31.96 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $26.00 | −$149 | 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 | $175 | $143 | $26.00 |
| 9.5 | — | $40.00 | — |
| 9 | $51.16 | $44.95 | $9.00 |
| 8.5 | — | $28.00 | — |
| 8 | $34.35 | $41.00 | — |
| 7.5 | — | $12.00 | — |
| 7 | $12.00 | — | — |
| 6 | $13.00 | — | — |
| 5 | $9.97 | — | — |
| 4 | $29.99 | — | — |
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 Shellder — FAQ
Is Shellder worth grading?
A PSA 10 Shellder sells for $49.54 against $4.13 raw: a $45.41 spread, 12× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($38.00) 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 Shellder worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Shellder (Expedition Base Set 129/165) sells for about $49.54 versus $4.13 for a raw near-mint copy — a 12× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Shellder?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $175, ahead of CGC 10 at $143. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Shellder 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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