Is Golem worth grading?
Pokémon · Expedition Base Set · 49/165 · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 6.3× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Golem sells for $69.58 against $10.97 raw: a $58.61 spread, 6.3× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($27.94) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $10.97
- PSA 10
- $69.58
- PSA 9
- $27.94
- Gem premium
- 6.3×
- 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 | $69.58 | +$33.61 | +$8.61 | −$91.39 |
| PSA 9 | $27.94 | −$8.03 | −$33.03 | −$133 |
| PSA 8 | $34.53 | −$1.44 | −$26.44 | −$126 |
Net = sale price − $10.97 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% | $38.35 | −$22.62 |
| 50% | $48.76 | −$12.21 |
| 75% | $59.17 | −$1.80 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 79%. 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 | $157 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $95.34 | −$61.80 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $22.00 | −$135 | 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 | SGC |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $157 | $95.34 | $22.00 |
| 9.5 | — | $120 | — |
| 9 | $64.44 | $63.04 | — |
| 8.5 | — | $34.00 | — |
| 8 | $30.00 | — | — |
| 7 | $52.00 | $16.00 | — |
| 6 | $24.99 | $17.50 | — |
| 5 | $8.99 | — | — |
| 4 | $40.50 | — | — |
| 1 | $44.99 | — | — |
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 Golem — FAQ
Is Golem worth grading?
A PSA 10 Golem sells for $69.58 against $10.97 raw: a $58.61 spread, 6.3× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($27.94) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
How much is a PSA 10 Golem worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Golem (Expedition Base Set 49/165) sells for about $69.58 versus $10.97 for a raw near-mint copy — a 6.3× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Golem?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $157, ahead of CGC 10 at $95.34. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Golem 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 Golem break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Golem breaks even when it gems about 79% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $27.94).
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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