Is Charmander worth grading?
Pokémon · FireRed & LeafGreen · 57/112 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Charmander sells for $227 against $4.54 raw: a $223 spread, 50× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($35.51) 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)
- $4.54
- PSA 10
- $227
- PSA 9
- $35.51
- Gem premium
- 50×
- 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 | $227 | +$198 | +$173 | +$72.62 |
| PSA 9 | $35.51 | +$5.97 | −$19.03 | −$119 |
| PSA 8 | $10.54 | −$19.00 | −$44.00 | −$144 |
Net = sale price − $4.54 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% | $83.42 | +$28.88 |
| 50% | $131 | +$76.80 |
| 75% | $179 | +$125 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 10%. 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 | $4,045 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $563 | −$3,482 | 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 | $4,045 | $563 | — |
| 9.5 | — | $24.00 | — |
| 9 | $34.64 | $90.03 | $243 |
| 8.5 | $199 | $99.99 | $96.00 |
| 8 | $211 | $29.99 | — |
| 7 | $40.00 | $20.00 | — |
| 6 | $39.99 | — | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other FireRed & LeafGreen cards worth checking
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Grading Charmander — FAQ
Is Charmander worth grading?
A PSA 10 Charmander sells for $227 against $4.54 raw: a $223 spread, 50× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($35.51) 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 Charmander worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Charmander (FireRed & LeafGreen 57/112) sells for about $227 versus $4.54 for a raw near-mint copy — a 50× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Charmander?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $4,045, ahead of CGC 10 at $563. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Charmander 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 Charmander break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Charmander breaks even when it gems about 10% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $35.51).
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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