Is Poliwhirl worth grading?
Pokémon · FireRed & LeafGreen · 46/112 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Poliwhirl sells for $324 against $2.68 raw: a $322 spread, 121× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($37.99) 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)
- $2.68
- PSA 10
- $324
- PSA 9
- $37.99
- Gem premium
- 121×
- 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 | $324 | +$297 | +$272 | +$172 |
| PSA 9 | $37.99 | +$10.31 | −$14.69 | −$115 |
| PSA 8 | $95.94 | +$68.26 | +$43.26 | −$56.74 |
Net = sale price − $2.68 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% | $110 | +$56.92 |
| 50% | $181 | +$129 |
| 75% | $253 | +$200 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 5%. 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 | $1,900 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $150 | −$1,750 | 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 | $1,900 | $150 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | $312 |
| 9 | $99.81 | $66.06 | — |
| 8 | $95.94 | — | — |
| 7 | $70.00 | — | — |
| 6 | $30.50 | — | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
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Other FireRed & LeafGreen cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Poliwhirl — FAQ
Is Poliwhirl worth grading?
A PSA 10 Poliwhirl sells for $324 against $2.68 raw: a $322 spread, 121× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($37.99) 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 Poliwhirl worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Poliwhirl (FireRed & LeafGreen 46/112) sells for about $324 versus $2.68 for a raw near-mint copy — a 121× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Poliwhirl?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $1,900, ahead of CGC 10 at $150. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Poliwhirl 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 Poliwhirl break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Poliwhirl breaks even when it gems about 5% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $37.99).
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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