Is Swampert worth grading?
Pokémon · Ruby & Sapphire · 23/109 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Swampert sells for $517 against $4.33 raw: a $513 spread, 119× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($110) 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)
- $4.33
- PSA 10
- $517
- PSA 9
- $110
- Gem premium
- 119×
- As of
- Aug 19, 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 | $517 | +$488 | +$463 | +$363 |
| PSA 9 | $110 | +$80.39 | +$55.39 | −$44.61 |
| PSA 8 | $13.00 | −$16.33 | −$41.33 | −$141 |
Net = sale price − $4.33 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% | $212 | +$157 |
| 50% | $313 | +$259 |
| 75% | $415 | +$361 |
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 | $517 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $210 | −$307 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $517 | $210 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | $48.00 |
| 9 | $300 | $63.32 | — |
| 8.5 | — | $38.64 | — |
| 8 | $102 | $30.00 | — |
| 7 | $71.42 | — | — |
| 6 | $31.95 | — | — |
| 5 | $49.50 | — | — |
| 4 | $6.00 | — | — |
| 3 | $15.00 | — | — |
| 1 | $66.92 | — | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other Ruby & Sapphire cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Swampert — FAQ
Is Swampert worth grading?
A PSA 10 Swampert sells for $517 against $4.33 raw: a $513 spread, 119× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($110) 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 Swampert worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Swampert (Ruby & Sapphire 23/109) sells for about $517 versus $4.33 for a raw near-mint copy — a 119× premium as of Aug 19, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Swampert?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $517, ahead of CGC 10 at $210. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Swampert 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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