Is Dark Ariados worth grading?
Pokémon · Team Rocket Returns · 30/109 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Dark Ariados sells for $71.05 against $3.13 raw: a $67.92 spread, 23× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($30.95) 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)
- $3.13
- PSA 10
- $71.05
- PSA 9
- $30.95
- Gem premium
- 23×
- 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 | $71.05 | +$42.92 | +$17.92 | −$82.08 |
| PSA 9 | $30.95 | +$2.82 | −$22.18 | −$122 |
| PSA 8 | $14.20 | −$13.93 | −$38.93 | −$139 |
Net = sale price − $3.13 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% | $40.97 | −$12.16 |
| 50% | $51.00 | −$2.13 |
| 75% | $61.02 | +$7.89 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 55%. 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 | $867 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $51.01 | −$816 | 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 | $867 | $51.01 | — |
| 9.5 | — | $50.00 | $287 |
| 9 | $147 | $48.34 | — |
| 8.5 | — | $25.96 | — |
| 8 | $57.27 | $11.00 | — |
| 7.5 | — | $34.99 | — |
| 7 | $20.97 | — | — |
| 6 | $39.99 | — | — |
| 1 | $25.00 | — | — |
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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Grading Dark Ariados — FAQ
Is Dark Ariados worth grading?
A PSA 10 Dark Ariados sells for $71.05 against $3.13 raw: a $67.92 spread, 23× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($30.95) 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 Ariados worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Dark Ariados (Team Rocket Returns 30/109) sells for about $71.05 versus $3.13 for a raw near-mint copy — a 23× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Dark Ariados?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $867, ahead of CGC 10 at $51.01. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Dark Ariados 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 Dark Ariados break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Dark Ariados breaks even when it gems about 55% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $30.95).
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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