Is Blastoise worth grading?
Pokémon · Expedition Base Set · 36/165 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Blastoise sells for $636 against $59.02 raw: a $577 spread, 11× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($127) 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)
- $59.02
- PSA 10
- $636
- PSA 9
- $127
- Gem premium
- 11×
- 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 | $636 | +$552 | +$527 | +$427 |
| PSA 9 | $127 | +$42.86 | +$17.86 | −$82.14 |
| PSA 8 | $104 | +$20.46 | −$4.54 | −$105 |
Net = sale price − $59.02 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% | $254 | +$145 |
| 50% | $381 | +$272 |
| 75% | $509 | +$400 |
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 | $636 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $287 | −$348 | 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 | SGC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $150 | $287 | — | — |
| 9.5 | — | $350 | $4,680 | $55.00 |
| 9 | $429 | $209 | $300 | — |
| 8.5 | $150 | $185 | $275 | — |
| 8 | $266 | $49.00 | — | — |
| 7.5 | — | $57.00 | — | — |
| 7 | $78.88 | $58.00 | — | — |
| 6 | $69.46 | $41.00 | — | — |
| 5 | $65.56 | — | — | — |
| 4 | $16.00 | — | — | — |
| 3 | $8.00 | — | — | — |
| 2 | $63.00 | — | — | — |
| 1 | $687 | — | — | — |
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 Blastoise — FAQ
Is Blastoise worth grading?
A PSA 10 Blastoise sells for $636 against $59.02 raw: a $577 spread, 11× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($127) 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 Blastoise worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Blastoise (Expedition Base Set 36/165) sells for about $636 versus $59.02 for a raw near-mint copy — a 11× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Blastoise?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $636, ahead of CGC 10 at $287. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Blastoise 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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