Is Salamence worth grading?
Pokémon · Dragon · 10/97 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Salamence sells for $2,041 against $208 raw: a $1,833 spread, 9.8× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($588) 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)
- $208
- PSA 10
- $2,041
- PSA 9
- $588
- Gem premium
- 9.8×
- 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 | $2,041 | +$1,808 | +$1,783 | +$1,683 |
| PSA 9 | $588 | +$355 | +$330 | +$230 |
| PSA 8 | $107 | −$126 | −$151 | −$251 |
Net = sale price − $208 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% | $951 | +$693 |
| 50% | $1,315 | +$1,057 |
| 75% | $1,678 | +$1,420 |
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 | $2,041 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $220 | −$1,821 | 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 | SGC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $1,344 | $220 | — | — |
| 9.5 | — | $100 | — | $94.99 |
| 9 | $80.92 | $94.04 | $50.00 | $99.97 |
| 8.5 | — | $42.98 | — | — |
| 8 | $55.89 | $39.99 | — | — |
| 7.5 | — | $23.79 | — | — |
| 7 | $50.87 | — | — | — |
| 6 | $65.72 | $22.50 | — | — |
| 5 | $145 | — | — | — |
| 2 | $79.00 | — | — | — |
| 1 | $35.00 | — | — | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other Dragon cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Salamence — FAQ
Is Salamence worth grading?
A PSA 10 Salamence sells for $2,041 against $208 raw: a $1,833 spread, 9.8× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($588) 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 Salamence worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Salamence (Dragon 10/97) sells for about $2,041 versus $208 for a raw near-mint copy — a 9.8× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Salamence?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $2,041, ahead of CGC 10 at $220. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Salamence 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.
Check my card free