Is Dragonite worth grading?
Pokémon · Expedition Base Set · 43/165 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Dragonite sells for $445 against $75.74 raw: a $369 spread, 5.9× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($271) 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)
- $75.74
- PSA 10
- $445
- PSA 9
- $271
- Gem premium
- 5.9×
- 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 | $445 | +$344 | +$319 | +$219 |
| PSA 9 | $271 | +$170 | +$145 | +$45.12 |
| PSA 8 | $42.77 | −$57.97 | −$82.97 | −$183 |
Net = sale price − $75.74 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% | $314 | +$189 |
| 50% | $358 | +$232 |
| 75% | $401 | +$276 |
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 | $3,171 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $453 | −$2,718 | 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 | ACE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $3,171 | $453 | — | — | — |
| 9.5 | — | $224 | $152 | — | — |
| 9 | $703 | $120 | $1,050 | — | $255 |
| 8.5 | $103 | $93.27 | $95.00 | — | — |
| 8 | $417 | $198 | — | $31.00 | $121 |
| 7.5 | — | $124 | — | — | — |
| 7 | $238 | — | — | — | — |
| 6.5 | — | $47.00 | — | — | — |
| 6 | $162 | — | — | — | — |
| 5.5 | — | $18.00 | — | — | — |
| 5 | $161 | — | — | — | — |
| 4.5 | — | $22.00 | — | — | — |
| 4 | $20.31 | $98.40 | — | — | — |
| 3 | $46.00 | — | — | — | — |
| 1 | $223 | — | — | — | — |
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 Dragonite — FAQ
Is Dragonite worth grading?
A PSA 10 Dragonite sells for $445 against $75.74 raw: a $369 spread, 5.9× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($271) 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 Dragonite worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Dragonite (Expedition Base Set 43/165) sells for about $445 versus $75.74 for a raw near-mint copy — a 5.9× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Dragonite?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $3,171, ahead of CGC 10 at $453. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Dragonite 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.
Check my card free