Is Ampharos worth grading?
Pokémon · Expedition Base Set · 2/165 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Ampharos sells for $3,050 against $175 raw: a $2,875 spread, 17× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($323) 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)
- $175
- PSA 10
- $3,050
- PSA 9
- $323
- Gem premium
- 17×
- 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 | $3,050 | +$2,850 | +$2,825 | +$2,725 |
| PSA 9 | $323 | +$123 | +$97.86 | −$2.14 |
| PSA 8 | $380 | +$180 | +$155 | +$54.62 |
Net = sale price − $175 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% | $1,005 | +$780 |
| 50% | $1,686 | +$1,461 |
| 75% | $2,368 | +$2,143 |
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 | $3,050 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| BGS 10 | $600 | −$2,450 | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| CGC 10 | $549 | −$2,501 | 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 | TAG |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $474 | $227 | $600 | — |
| 9.5 | — | $1,473 | $3,500 | — |
| 9 | $80.07 | $49.44 | $121 | — |
| 8.5 | $48.50 | $72.40 | $350 | — |
| 8 | $147 | $35.00 | — | — |
| 7 | $79.95 | — | $69.00 | — |
| 6.5 | — | $60.10 | — | — |
| 6 | $110 | $30.00 | — | — |
| 5 | $33.94 | — | — | $21.00 |
| 3 | — | — | $50.00 | — |
| 1 | $67.53 | — | — | — |
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 Ampharos — FAQ
Is Ampharos worth grading?
A PSA 10 Ampharos sells for $3,050 against $175 raw: a $2,875 spread, 17× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($323) 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 Ampharos worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Ampharos (Expedition Base Set 2/165) sells for about $3,050 versus $175 for a raw near-mint copy — a 17× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Ampharos?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $3,050, ahead of BGS 10 at $600. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Ampharos 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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