Is Dark Ampharos worth grading?
Pokémon · Team Rocket Returns · 2/109 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Dark Ampharos sells for $1,501 against $109 raw: a $1,392 spread, 14× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($209) 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)
- $109
- PSA 10
- $1,501
- PSA 9
- $209
- Gem premium
- 14×
- 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 | $1,501 | +$1,367 | +$1,342 | +$1,242 |
| PSA 9 | $209 | +$75.75 | +$50.75 | −$49.25 |
| PSA 8 | $120 | −$13.30 | −$38.30 | −$138 |
Net = sale price − $109 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% | $532 | +$374 |
| 50% | $855 | +$696 |
| 75% | $1,178 | +$1,019 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA 10 | $6,947 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $305 | −$6,642 | 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 | $6,947 | $192 | — |
| 9.5 | — | $281 | — |
| 9 | $229 | $140 | $380 |
| 8.5 | $116 | $57.09 | — |
| 8 | $326 | — | — |
| 7.5 | — | — | $100 |
| 7 | $112 | $48.00 | — |
| 6 | $71.84 | — | — |
| 5.5 | — | $46.94 | — |
| 5 | $89.60 | — | — |
| 1 | $150 | — | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
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Full set checklist →
Grading Dark Ampharos — FAQ
Is Dark Ampharos worth grading?
A PSA 10 Dark Ampharos sells for $1,501 against $109 raw: a $1,392 spread, 14× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($209) 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 Dark Ampharos worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Dark Ampharos (Team Rocket Returns 2/109) sells for about $1,501 versus $109 for a raw near-mint copy — a 14× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Dark Ampharos?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $6,947, ahead of CGC 10 at $305. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Dark Ampharos 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.
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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