Is Charmander worth grading?
Pokémon · Crystal Guardians · 48/100 · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 39× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Charmander sells for $218 against $5.56 raw: a $212 spread, 39× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($25.10) 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)
- $5.56
- PSA 10
- $218
- PSA 9
- $25.10
- Gem premium
- 39×
- As of
- Oct 1, 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 | $218 | +$187 | +$162 | +$62.32 |
| PSA 9 | $25.10 | −$5.46 | −$30.46 | −$130 |
| PSA 8 | $21.79 | −$8.77 | −$33.77 | −$134 |
Net = sale price − $5.56 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% | $73.30 | +$17.73 |
| 50% | $121 | +$65.93 |
| 75% | $170 | +$114 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 16%. 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 | $4,602 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $755 | −$3,847 | 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.
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Grading Charmander — FAQ
Is Charmander worth grading?
A PSA 10 Charmander sells for $218 against $5.56 raw: a $212 spread, 39× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($25.10) 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 Charmander worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Charmander (Crystal Guardians 48/100) sells for about $218 versus $5.56 for a raw near-mint copy — a 39× premium as of Oct 1, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Charmander?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $4,602, ahead of CGC 10 at $755. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Charmander 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 Charmander break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Charmander breaks even when it gems about 16% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $25.10).
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