Is Nidoking worth grading?
Pokémon · Aquapolis · 150/147 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Nidoking sells for $1,309 against $980 raw: a $329 spread, 1.3× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($3,232) 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)
- $980
- PSA 10
- $1,309
- PSA 9
- $3,232
- Gem premium
- 1.3×
- 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 | $1,309 | +$304 | +$279 | +$179 |
| PSA 9 | $3,232 | +$2,227 | +$2,202 | +$2,102 |
| PSA 8 | $2,497 | +$1,492 | +$1,467 | +$1,367 |
Net = sale price − $980 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% | $2,751 | +$1,721 |
| 50% | $2,271 | +$1,241 |
| 75% | $1,790 | +$760 |
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 | $8,000 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| PSA 10 | $1,309 | −$6,691 | 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 | TAG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $1,309 | $8,000 | — | — | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | $4,853 | — | — |
| 9 | $3,232 | $1,999 | $1,127 | — | $3,170 |
| 8.5 | $1,216 | — | $1,088 | — | — |
| 8 | $2,497 | $1,226 | $733 | — | $1,200 |
| 7.5 | — | $1,299 | $475 | — | — |
| 7 | $1,716 | — | $620 | $380 | — |
| 6.5 | — | $425 | — | — | — |
| 6 | $1,545 | — | — | $330 | — |
| 5 | $371 | — | $719 | — | — |
| 4 | $331 | $180 | — | $176 | — |
| 3 | $620 | — | — | — | — |
| 2 | $516 | — | — | — | — |
| 1.5 | $550 | — | — | — | — |
| 1 | $610 | — | — | — | — |
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 Nidoking — FAQ
Is Nidoking worth grading?
A PSA 10 Nidoking sells for $1,309 against $980 raw: a $329 spread, 1.3× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($3,232) 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 Nidoking worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Nidoking (Aquapolis 150/147) sells for about $1,309 versus $980 for a raw near-mint copy — a 1.3× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Nidoking?
By resale value, CGC 10 leads at $8,000, ahead of PSA 10 at $1,309. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Nidoking 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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