Is Shelgon worth grading?
Pokémon · Dragon · 41/97 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 9 Shelgon sells for $73.32 against $3.74 raw: a $69.58 spread, 20× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($32.30) 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)
- $3.74
- PSA 9
- $73.32
- PSA 9
- $32.30
- Gem premium
- 20×
- 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 | $73.32 | +$44.58 | +$19.58 | −$80.42 |
| PSA 9 | $32.30 | +$3.56 | −$21.44 | −$121 |
| PSA 8 | $31.95 | +$3.21 | −$21.79 | −$122 |
Net = sale price − $3.74 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% | $42.55 | −$11.19 |
| 50% | $52.81 | −$0.93 |
| 75% | $63.06 | +$9.32 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 52%. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CGC 10 | $14.96 | 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 | — | $14.96 |
| 9.5 | — | $65.00 |
| 9 | $73.32 | $39.99 |
| 8.5 | — | $7.00 |
| 8 | $35.00 | — |
| 7 | $7.00 | — |
| 6 | $36.00 | — |
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 Shelgon — FAQ
Is Shelgon worth grading?
A PSA 9 Shelgon sells for $73.32 against $3.74 raw: a $69.58 spread, 20× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($32.30) 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.
What centering does Shelgon 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.
What gem rate makes grading Shelgon break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Shelgon breaks even when it gems about 52% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $32.30).
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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