Is Professor Birch worth grading?
Pokémon · Ruby & Sapphire · 89/109 · full price guide →
Grading rarely pays for this card
PSA 9 copies of Professor Birch sell for $18.00, only $17.58 above the $0.42 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($18.00) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
- Raw (NM)
- $0.42
- PSA 9
- $18.00
- PSA 9
- $18.00
- Gem premium
- 43×
- 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 9 | $18.00 | −$7.42 | −$32.42 | −$132 |
| PSA 9 | $18.00 | −$7.42 | −$32.42 | −$132 |
| PSA 8 | $4.50 | −$20.92 | −$45.92 | −$146 |
Net = sale price − $0.42 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% | $18.00 | −$32.42 |
| 50% | $18.00 | −$32.42 |
| 75% | $18.00 | −$32.42 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CGC 10 | $13.34 | best | 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 | — | $13.34 |
| 9 | $18.00 | $15.50 |
| 8 | $4.50 | — |
| 7 | $15.50 | — |
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 Professor Birch — FAQ
Is Professor Birch worth grading?
PSA 9 copies of Professor Birch sell for $18.00, only $17.58 above the $0.42 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($18.00) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
What centering does Professor Birch need for a CGC 10?
CGC 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.
Check my card free