Is Houndoom worth grading?
Pokémon · Dragon · 34/97 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Houndoom sells for $220 against $11.69 raw: a $208 spread, 19× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($62.22) 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)
- $11.69
- PSA 10
- $220
- PSA 9
- $62.22
- Gem premium
- 19×
- 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 | $220 | +$183 | +$158 | +$58.22 |
| PSA 9 | $62.22 | +$25.53 | +$0.53 | −$99.47 |
| PSA 8 | $57.10 | +$20.41 | −$4.59 | −$105 |
Net = sale price − $11.69 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% | $102 | +$39.95 |
| 50% | $141 | +$79.38 |
| 75% | $180 | +$119 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CGC 10 | $323 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| PSA 10 | $220 | −$103 | 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 | $178 | $323 | — |
| 9.5 | — | $101 | — |
| 9 | $70.65 | $82.82 | $47.18 |
| 8.5 | — | $24.80 | — |
| 8 | $57.10 | $44.78 | — |
| 7 | $52.26 | $8.98 | — |
| 6.5 | — | $3.00 | — |
| 6 | $31.00 | $7.99 | — |
| 5 | $24.89 | — | — |
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 Houndoom — FAQ
Is Houndoom worth grading?
A PSA 10 Houndoom sells for $220 against $11.69 raw: a $208 spread, 19× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($62.22) 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 Houndoom worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Houndoom (Dragon 34/97) sells for about $220 versus $11.69 for a raw near-mint copy — a 19× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Houndoom?
By resale value, CGC 10 leads at $323, ahead of PSA 10 at $220. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Houndoom 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.
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