Is Charmander worth grading?
Pokémon · Expedition Base Set · 97/165 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Charmander sells for $321 against $19.68 raw: a $301 spread, 16× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($89.81) 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)
- $19.68
- PSA 10
- $321
- PSA 9
- $89.81
- Gem premium
- 16×
- 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 | $321 | +$276 | +$251 | +$151 |
| PSA 9 | $89.81 | +$45.13 | +$20.13 | −$79.87 |
| PSA 8 | $26.61 | −$18.07 | −$43.07 | −$143 |
Net = sale price − $19.68 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% | $148 | +$77.84 |
| 50% | $205 | +$136 |
| 75% | $263 | +$193 |
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 | $1,751 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $329 | −$1,422 | 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 | $1,751 | $329 | — | — | — |
| 9.5 | — | $50.06 | $88.00 | — | — |
| 9 | $352 | $60.00 | $13.00 | $13.00 | $117 |
| 8.5 | — | $70.04 | — | — | — |
| 8 | $312 | $15.00 | — | $15.00 | — |
| 7.5 | — | $37.00 | — | — | — |
| 7 | $13.00 | — | — | $19.00 | — |
| 6.5 | — | $9.00 | — | — | — |
| 6 | $14.60 | — | — | — | — |
| 5.5 | — | $15.00 | — | — | — |
| 5 | $41.88 | — | — | — | — |
| 4 | $44.00 | — | — | — | — |
| 2 | $25.00 | — | — | — | — |
| 1 | $130 | — | — | — | — |
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 Charmander — FAQ
Is Charmander worth grading?
A PSA 10 Charmander sells for $321 against $19.68 raw: a $301 spread, 16× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($89.81) 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 Charmander worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Charmander (Expedition Base Set 97/165) sells for about $321 versus $19.68 for a raw near-mint copy — a 16× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Charmander?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $1,751, ahead of CGC 10 at $329. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Charmander 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.
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