Is Metapod worth grading?
Pokémon · Expedition Base Set · 87/165 · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 17× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Metapod sells for $145 against $8.58 raw: a $136 spread, 17× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($11.99) 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)
- $8.58
- PSA 10
- $145
- PSA 9
- $11.99
- Gem premium
- 17×
- 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 | $145 | +$111 | +$86.42 | −$13.58 |
| PSA 9 | $11.99 | −$21.59 | −$46.59 | −$147 |
| PSA 8 | $14.50 | −$19.08 | −$44.08 | −$144 |
Net = sale price − $8.58 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% | $45.24 | −$13.34 |
| 50% | $78.50 | +$19.92 |
| 75% | $112 | +$53.17 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 35%. 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 | $145 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $21.42 | −$124 | 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 | $145 | $13.00 | — |
| 9.5 | — | $60.00 | — |
| 9 | $158 | $91.52 | — |
| 8.5 | — | $9.00 | — |
| 8 | $48.53 | $66.00 | $9.00 |
| 7 | $34.89 | — | — |
| 6 | $11.00 | $14.00 | — |
| 5.5 | — | $5.00 | — |
| 4 | $19.91 | — | — |
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 Metapod — FAQ
Is Metapod worth grading?
A PSA 10 Metapod sells for $145 against $8.58 raw: a $136 spread, 17× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($11.99) 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 Metapod worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Metapod (Expedition Base Set 87/165) sells for about $145 versus $8.58 for a raw near-mint copy — a 17× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Metapod?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $145, ahead of CGC 10 at $21.42. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Metapod 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 Metapod break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Metapod breaks even when it gems about 35% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $11.99).
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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