Is Ponyta worth grading?
Pokémon · Aquapolis · 102/147 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Ponyta sells for $67.69 against $8.76 raw: a $58.93 spread, 7.7× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($34.42) 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)
- $8.76
- PSA 10
- $67.69
- PSA 9
- $34.42
- Gem premium
- 7.7×
- 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 | $67.69 | +$33.93 | +$8.93 | −$91.07 |
| PSA 9 | $34.42 | +$0.66 | −$24.34 | −$124 |
| PSA 8 | $46.13 | +$12.37 | −$12.63 | −$113 |
Net = sale price − $8.76 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% | $42.74 | −$16.02 |
| 50% | $51.05 | −$7.70 |
| 75% | $59.37 | +$0.61 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 73%. 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 | $445 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $44.86 | −$400 | 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | $445 | $44.86 |
| 9.5 | — | $35.00 |
| 9 | $127 | $29.93 |
| 8.5 | — | $49.84 |
| 8 | $46.13 | $8.00 |
| 7 | $36.00 | — |
| 6 | $58.93 | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other Aquapolis cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Ponyta — FAQ
Is Ponyta worth grading?
A PSA 10 Ponyta sells for $67.69 against $8.76 raw: a $58.93 spread, 7.7× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($34.42) 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 Ponyta worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Ponyta (Aquapolis 102/147) sells for about $67.69 versus $8.76 for a raw near-mint copy — a 7.7× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Ponyta?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $445, ahead of CGC 10 at $44.86. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Ponyta 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 Ponyta break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Ponyta breaks even when it gems about 73% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $34.42).
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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