Is Golem worth grading?
Pokémon · Dragon · 5/97 · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 11× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Golem sells for $463 against $41.38 raw: a $422 spread, 11× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($64.13) 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)
- $41.38
- PSA 10
- $463
- PSA 9
- $64.13
- Gem premium
- 11×
- 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 | $463 | +$397 | +$372 | +$272 |
| PSA 9 | $64.13 | −$2.25 | −$27.25 | −$127 |
| PSA 8 | $52.04 | −$14.34 | −$39.34 | −$139 |
Net = sale price − $41.38 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% | $164 | +$72.50 |
| 50% | $264 | +$172 |
| 75% | $363 | +$272 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 7%. 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 | $1,016 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $102 | −$914 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $1,016 | $65.00 | — |
| 9.5 | — | $129 | $168 |
| 9 | $84.15 | $49.99 | — |
| 8.5 | — | $13.00 | — |
| 8 | $40.00 | $14.00 | — |
| 7 | $45.03 | — | — |
| 6 | $23.79 | — | — |
| 5 | $32.86 | — | — |
| 1 | $60.00 | — | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
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Other Dragon cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Golem — FAQ
Is Golem worth grading?
A PSA 10 Golem sells for $463 against $41.38 raw: a $422 spread, 11× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($64.13) 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 Golem worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Golem (Dragon 5/97) sells for about $463 versus $41.38 for a raw near-mint copy — a 11× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Golem?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $1,016, ahead of CGC 10 at $102. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Golem 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 Golem break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Golem breaks even when it gems about 7% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $64.13).
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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