Is Houndoom worth grading?
Pokémon · Aquapolis · 15/147 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Houndoom sells for $493 against $70.20 raw: a $423 spread, 7.0× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($101) 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)
- $70.20
- PSA 10
- $493
- PSA 9
- $101
- Gem premium
- 7.0×
- 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 | $493 | +$398 | +$373 | +$273 |
| PSA 9 | $101 | +$5.97 | −$19.03 | −$119 |
| PSA 8 | $61.05 | −$34.15 | −$59.15 | −$159 |
Net = sale price − $70.20 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% | $199 | +$78.96 |
| 50% | $297 | +$177 |
| 75% | $395 | +$275 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 5%. 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 | $1,781 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $300 | −$1,481 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $1,781 | $300 | — |
| 9 | $310 | $258 | $120 |
| 8.5 | — | $200 | $1,205 |
| 8 | $228 | $75.00 | — |
| 7 | $87.99 | — | — |
| 6 | $49.43 | — | $64.00 |
| 5 | $151 | — | — |
| 4 | $67.41 | — | — |
| 3 | $17.95 | — | — |
| 1 | $90.00 | — | — |
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 Houndoom — FAQ
Is Houndoom worth grading?
A PSA 10 Houndoom sells for $493 against $70.20 raw: a $423 spread, 7.0× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($101) 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 Houndoom worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Houndoom (Aquapolis 15/147) sells for about $493 versus $70.20 for a raw near-mint copy — a 7.0× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Houndoom?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $1,781, ahead of CGC 10 at $300. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Houndoom 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 Houndoom break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Houndoom breaks even when it gems about 5% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $101).
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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