Is Cloyster worth grading?
Pokémon · Expedition Base Set · 42/165 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Cloyster sells for $88.40 against $15.39 raw: a $73.01 spread, 5.7× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($54.32) 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)
- $15.39
- PSA 10
- $88.40
- PSA 9
- $54.32
- Gem premium
- 5.7×
- 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 | $88.40 | +$48.01 | +$23.01 | −$76.99 |
| PSA 9 | $54.32 | +$13.93 | −$11.07 | −$111 |
| PSA 8 | $13.05 | −$27.34 | −$52.34 | −$152 |
Net = sale price − $15.39 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% | $62.84 | −$2.55 |
| 50% | $71.36 | +$5.97 |
| 75% | $79.88 | +$14.49 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 32%. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses — measure it before you decide.
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 | $1,000 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $59.30 | −$941 | 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | $1,000 | $59.30 |
| 9.5 | — | $36.87 |
| 9 | $97.96 | $25.23 |
| 8.5 | $39.00 | $12.03 |
| 8 | $45.36 | $21.00 |
| 7 | $26.24 | $15.00 |
| 6 | $19.00 | — |
| 5 | $60.00 | — |
| 3 | $15.75 | — |
| 1 | — | $25.00 |
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 Cloyster — FAQ
Is Cloyster worth grading?
A PSA 10 Cloyster sells for $88.40 against $15.39 raw: a $73.01 spread, 5.7× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($54.32) 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 Cloyster worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Cloyster (Expedition Base Set 42/165) sells for about $88.40 versus $15.39 for a raw near-mint copy — a 5.7× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Cloyster?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $1,000, ahead of CGC 10 at $59.30. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Cloyster 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.
What gem rate makes grading Cloyster break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Cloyster breaks even when it gems about 32% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $54.32).
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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