Is Cyndaquil worth grading?
Pokémon · Sandstorm · 59/100 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Cyndaquil sells for $94.06 against $2.63 raw: a $91.43 spread, 36× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($30.26) 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)
- $2.63
- PSA 10
- $94.06
- PSA 9
- $30.26
- Gem premium
- 36×
- 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 | $94.06 | +$66.43 | +$41.43 | −$58.57 |
| PSA 9 | $30.26 | +$2.63 | −$22.37 | −$122 |
| PSA 8 | $74.62 | +$46.99 | +$21.99 | −$78.01 |
Net = sale price − $2.63 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% | $46.21 | −$6.42 |
| 50% | $62.16 | +$9.53 |
| 75% | $78.11 | +$25.48 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 35%. 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 | $2,500 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $150 | −$2,350 | 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 | $2,500 | $150 | — |
| 9.5 | — | $11.00 | — |
| 9 | $162 | $25.97 | $19.83 |
| 8.5 | — | $21.96 | — |
| 8 | $23.47 | $8.00 | — |
| 7 | $48.87 | — | — |
| 6.5 | — | $21.00 | — |
| 6 | $29.93 | — | — |
| 5 | — | $5.00 | — |
| 2 | $12.00 | — | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other Sandstorm cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Cyndaquil — FAQ
Is Cyndaquil worth grading?
A PSA 10 Cyndaquil sells for $94.06 against $2.63 raw: a $91.43 spread, 36× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($30.26) 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 Cyndaquil worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Cyndaquil (Sandstorm 59/100) sells for about $94.06 versus $2.63 for a raw near-mint copy — a 36× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Cyndaquil?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $2,500, ahead of CGC 10 at $150. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Cyndaquil 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 Cyndaquil break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Cyndaquil breaks even when it gems about 35% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $30.26).
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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