Is Smoochum worth grading?
Pokémon · Aquapolis · 61/147 · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 13× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Smoochum sells for $176 against $13.17 raw: a $162 spread, 13× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($32.88) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $13.17
- PSA 10
- $176
- PSA 9
- $32.88
- Gem premium
- 13×
- As of
- Sep 30, 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 | $176 | +$137 | +$112 | +$12.35 |
| PSA 9 | $32.88 | −$5.29 | −$30.29 | −$130 |
| PSA 8 | $17.93 | −$20.24 | −$45.24 | −$145 |
Net = sale price − $13.17 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% | $68.54 | +$5.37 |
| 50% | $104 | +$41.03 |
| 75% | $140 | +$76.69 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 21%. 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 | $1,800 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $106 | −$1,694 | 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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Grading Smoochum — FAQ
Is Smoochum worth grading?
A PSA 10 Smoochum sells for $176 against $13.17 raw: a $162 spread, 13× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($32.88) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
How much is a PSA 10 Smoochum worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Smoochum (Aquapolis 61/147) sells for about $176 versus $13.17 for a raw near-mint copy — a 13× premium as of Sep 30, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Smoochum?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $1,800, ahead of CGC 10 at $106. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Smoochum 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 Smoochum break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Smoochum breaks even when it gems about 21% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $32.88).
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