Is Charmeleon worth grading?
Pokémon · Expedition Base Set · 73/165 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Charmeleon sells for $221 against $35.80 raw: a $185 spread, 6.2× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($77.64) 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)
- $35.80
- PSA 10
- $221
- PSA 9
- $77.64
- Gem premium
- 6.2×
- 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 | $221 | +$160 | +$135 | +$35.42 |
| PSA 9 | $77.64 | +$16.84 | −$8.16 | −$108 |
| PSA 8 | $64.94 | +$4.14 | −$20.86 | −$121 |
Net = sale price − $35.80 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% | $114 | +$27.73 |
| 50% | $149 | +$63.63 |
| 75% | $185 | +$99.52 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 6%. 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 | $391 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $125 | −$266 | 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 | $391 | $125 | — | — |
| 9.5 | — | $150 | — | — |
| 9 | $249 | $125 | $75.00 | $240 |
| 8.5 | — | $99.99 | — | — |
| 8 | $78.25 | $50.00 | — | — |
| 7.5 | — | $75.00 | — | — |
| 7 | $30.10 | — | — | — |
| 6.5 | — | $34.00 | — | — |
| 6 | $38.51 | — | — | — |
| 5.5 | — | $7.00 | — | — |
| 5 | $46.83 | — | — | — |
| 4 | $29.93 | — | — | — |
| 1 | $140 | — | — | — |
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 Charmeleon — FAQ
Is Charmeleon worth grading?
A PSA 10 Charmeleon sells for $221 against $35.80 raw: a $185 spread, 6.2× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($77.64) 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 Charmeleon worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Charmeleon (Expedition Base Set 73/165) sells for about $221 versus $35.80 for a raw near-mint copy — a 6.2× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Charmeleon?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $391, ahead of CGC 10 at $125. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Charmeleon 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 Charmeleon break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Charmeleon breaks even when it gems about 6% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $77.64).
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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