Is Swellow worth grading?
Pokémon · Ruby & Sapphire · 46/109 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Swellow sells for $44.00 against $1.27 raw: a $42.73 spread, 35× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($99.00) 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)
- $1.27
- PSA 10
- $44.00
- PSA 9
- $99.00
- Gem premium
- 35×
- 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 | $44.00 | +$17.73 | −$7.27 | −$107 |
| PSA 9 | $99.00 | +$72.73 | +$47.73 | −$52.27 |
| PSA 8 | $31.95 | +$5.68 | −$19.32 | −$119 |
Net = sale price − $1.27 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% | $85.25 | +$33.98 |
| 50% | $71.50 | +$20.23 |
| 75% | $57.75 | +$6.48 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 87%. 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 | $150 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $50.33 | −$99.67 | 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 | $150 | $50.33 |
| 9 | $69.30 | $24.91 |
| 8 | $8.00 | $14.00 |
| 7.5 | — | $7.00 |
| 7 | — | $5.00 |
| 4 | $4.25 | — |
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 Swellow — FAQ
Is Swellow worth grading?
A PSA 10 Swellow sells for $44.00 against $1.27 raw: a $42.73 spread, 35× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($99.00) 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 Swellow worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Swellow (Ruby & Sapphire 46/109) sells for about $44.00 versus $1.27 for a raw near-mint copy — a 35× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Swellow?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $150, ahead of CGC 10 at $50.33. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Swellow 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 Swellow break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Swellow breaks even when it gems about 87% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $99.00).
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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