Is Squirtle worth grading?
Pokémon · Expedition Base Set · 132/165 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Squirtle sells for $867 against $40.30 raw: a $826 spread, 22× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($225) 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)
- $40.30
- PSA 10
- $867
- PSA 9
- $225
- 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 | $867 | +$801 | +$776 | +$676 |
| PSA 9 | $225 | +$160 | +$135 | +$34.78 |
| PSA 8 | $84.99 | +$19.69 | −$5.31 | −$105 |
Net = sale price − $40.30 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% | $385 | +$295 |
| 50% | $546 | +$456 |
| 75% | $706 | +$616 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CGC 10 | $1,500 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| PSA 10 | $867 | −$633 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| TAG 10 | $625 | −$875 | 55/45 | 72/28 |
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 | SGC | TAG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $207 | $1,500 | — | — | $625 |
| 9.5 | — | $658 | $2,175 | $47.00 | — |
| 9 | $347 | $150 | $110 | $14.99 | — |
| 8.5 | — | $401 | — | — | — |
| 8 | $524 | $32.50 | — | $17.95 | — |
| 7.5 | — | $147 | — | — | — |
| 7 | $122 | $95.00 | — | — | — |
| 6.5 | — | $19.20 | — | — | — |
| 6 | $78.53 | $38.00 | — | — | — |
| 5 | $25.00 | $29.99 | — | — | — |
| 4 | $356 | — | — | — | — |
| 2 | $199 | — | — | — | — |
| 1 | $110 | — | — | — | — |
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 Squirtle — FAQ
Is Squirtle worth grading?
A PSA 10 Squirtle sells for $867 against $40.30 raw: a $826 spread, 22× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($225) 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 Squirtle worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Squirtle (Expedition Base Set 132/165) sells for about $867 versus $40.30 for a raw near-mint copy — a 22× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Squirtle?
By resale value, CGC 10 leads at $1,500, ahead of PSA 10 at $867. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Squirtle need for a CGC 10?
CGC 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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