Is Arbok worth grading?
Pokémon · Expedition Base Set · 3/165 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Arbok sells for $583 against $138 raw: a $445 spread, 4.2× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($402) 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)
- $138
- PSA 10
- $583
- PSA 9
- $402
- Gem premium
- 4.2×
- 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 | $583 | +$420 | +$395 | +$295 |
| PSA 9 | $402 | +$239 | +$214 | +$114 |
| PSA 8 | $239 | +$76.49 | +$51.49 | −$48.51 |
Net = sale price − $138 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% | $447 | +$259 |
| 50% | $492 | +$305 |
| 75% | $537 | +$350 |
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 | $583 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $238 | −$345 | 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 | ACE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $431 | $99.83 | — | — |
| 9.5 | — | $38.00 | $227 | — |
| 9 | $43.54 | $24.00 | $23.00 | $67.66 |
| 8.5 | $149 | $20.01 | — | — |
| 8 | $71.10 | $55.00 | $210 | — |
| 7 | $74.74 | — | $40.00 | — |
| 6.5 | — | $16.00 | — | — |
| 6 | $36.92 | — | — | — |
| 5.5 | $31.00 | $29.99 | — | — |
| 5 | $26.00 | — | — | — |
| 4 | $24.00 | — | — | — |
| 3 | $49.81 | — | — | — |
| 1 | $199 | — | — | — |
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 Arbok — FAQ
Is Arbok worth grading?
A PSA 10 Arbok sells for $583 against $138 raw: a $445 spread, 4.2× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($402) 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 Arbok worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Arbok (Expedition Base Set 3/165) sells for about $583 versus $138 for a raw near-mint copy — a 4.2× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Arbok?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $583, ahead of CGC 10 at $238. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Arbok 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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