Is Articuno worth grading?
Pokémon · Skyridge · 4/144 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Articuno sells for $212 against $79.50 raw: a $133 spread, 2.7× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($141) 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)
- $79.50
- PSA 10
- $212
- PSA 9
- $141
- Gem premium
- 2.7×
- 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 | $212 | +$108 | +$82.88 | −$17.12 |
| PSA 9 | $141 | +$36.79 | +$11.79 | −$88.21 |
| PSA 8 | $63.89 | −$40.61 | −$65.61 | −$166 |
Net = sale price − $79.50 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% | $159 | +$29.56 |
| 50% | $177 | +$47.33 |
| 75% | $195 | +$65.11 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
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 | $503 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $274 | −$229 | 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 | ACE |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $503 | $274 | $301 |
| 9.5 | — | $120 | — |
| 9 | $369 | $85.10 | — |
| 8.5 | $175 | $400 | — |
| 8 | $237 | $46.00 | — |
| 7 | $95.17 | — | — |
| 6 | $41.00 | — | — |
| 5 | $51.00 | — | — |
| 4 | $22.00 | — | — |
| 3 | $69.00 | — | — |
| 1 | $105 | — | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other Skyridge cards worth checking
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Grading Articuno — FAQ
Is Articuno worth grading?
A PSA 10 Articuno sells for $212 against $79.50 raw: a $133 spread, 2.7× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($141) 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 Articuno worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Articuno (Skyridge 4/144) sells for about $212 versus $79.50 for a raw near-mint copy — a 2.7× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Articuno?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $503, ahead of CGC 10 at $274. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Articuno 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.
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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