Is Dragonite worth grading?
Pokémon · Expedition Base Set · 9/165 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Dragonite sells for $1,474 against $600 raw: a $874 spread, 2.5× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($3,577) 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)
- $600
- PSA 10
- $1,474
- PSA 9
- $3,577
- Gem premium
- 2.5×
- 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 | $1,474 | +$849 | +$824 | +$724 |
| PSA 9 | $3,577 | +$2,952 | +$2,927 | +$2,827 |
| PSA 8 | $1,644 | +$1,019 | +$994 | +$894 |
Net = sale price − $600 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% | $3,051 | +$2,402 |
| 50% | $2,526 | +$1,876 |
| 75% | $2,000 | +$1,350 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CGC 10 | $1,769 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| PSA 10 | $1,500 | −$269 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| TAG 10 | $788 | −$981 | 55/45 | 72/28 |
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 | TAG | ACE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $1,500 | $880 | — | — | $788 | — |
| 9.5 | — | $400 | $5,345 | $504 | — | — |
| 9 | $660 | $267 | $2,167 | — | — | $2,652 |
| 8.5 | $2,999 | $217 | $204 | — | — | — |
| 8 | $480 | $157 | $293 | — | — | $438 |
| 7.5 | — | $37.00 | $125 | — | — | — |
| 7 | $382 | $346 | $150 | — | — | — |
| 6.5 | $690 | $600 | — | — | — | — |
| 6 | $229 | — | $250 | — | $500 | — |
| 5.5 | — | $299 | — | — | — | — |
| 5 | $51.02 | $110 | — | — | — | — |
| 4.5 | $299 | $348 | — | — | — | — |
| 4 | $276 | $250 | — | — | — | — |
| 3 | $393 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2 | $140 | $135 | — | — | — | — |
| 1 | $300 | $180 | — | — | — | — |
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 $1,474 against $600 raw: a $874 spread, 2.5× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($3,577) 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 9/165) sells for about $1,474 versus $600 for a raw near-mint copy — a 2.5× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Dragonite?
By resale value, CGC 10 leads at $1,769, ahead of PSA 10 at $1,500. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Dragonite need for a CGC 10?
CGC 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.
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