Is Smoochum worth grading?
Pokémon · Aquapolis · 61/147 · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 14× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Smoochum sells for $188 against $13.17 raw: a $175 spread, 14× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($32.72) 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
- $188
- PSA 9
- $32.72
- Gem premium
- 14×
- 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 | $188 | +$150 | +$125 | +$24.52 |
| PSA 9 | $32.72 | −$5.45 | −$30.45 | −$130 |
| PSA 8 | $25.00 | −$13.17 | −$38.17 | −$138 |
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% | $71.46 | +$8.29 |
| 50% | $110 | +$47.03 |
| 75% | $149 | +$85.78 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 20%. 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 | $126 | −$1,674 | 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 | $1,800 | $126 |
| 9.5 | — | $40.87 |
| 9 | $32.72 | — |
| 8.5 | — | $36.95 |
| 8 | $250 | $39.87 |
| 7.5 | — | $19.99 |
| 7 | $11.50 | — |
| 5 | $48.93 | — |
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 Smoochum — FAQ
Is Smoochum worth grading?
A PSA 10 Smoochum sells for $188 against $13.17 raw: a $175 spread, 14× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($32.72) 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 $188 versus $13.17 for a raw near-mint copy — a 14× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Smoochum?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $1,800, ahead of CGC 10 at $126. 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 20% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $32.72).
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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