Is Scyther worth grading?
Pokémon · Aquapolis · 57/147 · full price guide →
Grading rarely pays for this card
PSA 10 copies of Scyther sell for $53.71, only $20.57 above the $33.14 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. Even a PSA 9 ($86.21) clears the raw price after an economy-tier ~$25 fee, so a near-miss still comes out ahead. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
- Raw (NM)
- $33.14
- PSA 10
- $53.71
- PSA 9
- $86.21
- Gem premium
- 1.6×
- As of
- Oct 11, 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 | $53.71 | −$4.43 | −$29.43 | −$129 |
| PSA 9 | $86.21 | +$28.07 | +$3.07 | −$96.93 |
| PSA 8 | $37.05 | −$21.09 | −$46.09 | −$146 |
Net = sale price − $33.14 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% | $78.08 | −$5.06 |
| 50% | $69.96 | −$13.18 |
| 75% | $61.83 | −$21.31 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 9%. 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 | $53.71 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $49.43 | −$4.28 | 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.
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Raw conditions & history →Swipe the table for the other grading companies →
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Other Aquapolis cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Scyther — FAQ
Is Scyther worth grading?
PSA 10 copies of Scyther sell for $53.71, only $20.57 above the $33.14 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. Even a PSA 9 ($86.21) clears the raw price after an economy-tier ~$25 fee, so a near-miss still comes out ahead. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
How much is a PSA 10 Scyther worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Scyther (Aquapolis 57/147) sells for about $53.71 versus $33.14 for a raw near-mint copy — a 1.6× premium as of Oct 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Scyther?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $53.71, ahead of CGC 10 at $49.43. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Scyther 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 Scyther break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Scyther breaks even when it gems about 9% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $86.21).
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