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Dark Pupitar (Team Rocket Returns 40/109) — is it worth grading?

Is Dark Pupitar worth grading?

Pokémon · Team Rocket Returns · 40/109 · full price guide →

Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw

A PSA 10 Dark Pupitar sells for $125 against $1.87 raw: a $123 spread, 67× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($99.97) 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)
$1.87
PSA 10
$125
PSA 9
$99.97
Gem premium
67×
As of
Aug 10, 2026

Break-even by outcome and fee

Dark Pupitar: net result of grading versus selling raw, by outcome and fee tier
If it comes back…Sells forEconomy / bulk (~$25.00)Standard (~$50.00)Express (~$150)
Gem — PSA 10$125+$98.23+$73.23−$26.77
PSA 9$99.97+$73.10+$48.10−$51.90
PSA 8$15.00−$11.87−$36.87−$137

Net = sale price − $1.87 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?

Dark Pupitar: expected value of submitting by gem probability
Chance it gemsExpected saleExpected net (standard fee)
25%$106+$54.38
50%$113+$60.66
75%$119+$66.95

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
Dark Pupitar: top-grade value by grading company with centering tolerance
Grader10 sells forvs bestFront centering for a 10Back
PSA 10$2,377best55/4575/25
CGC 10$63.77−$2,31355/4575/25

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.

Dark Pupitar graded prices by company and grade
GradePSACGCBGS
10$2,377$63.77
9.5$9.61$11.06
9$164$33.00$20.00
8.5$32.00
8$19.01$21.60
7$34.81
6$19.30
5$30.00
4$7.00

Run your own numbers

Should I pay this?

Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.

Other Team Rocket Returns cards worth checking

Full set checklist

Grading Dark Pupitar — FAQ

Is Dark Pupitar worth grading?

A PSA 10 Dark Pupitar sells for $125 against $1.87 raw: a $123 spread, 67× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($99.97) 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 Pupitar worth compared with raw?

A PSA 10 Dark Pupitar (Team Rocket Returns 40/109) sells for about $125 versus $1.87 for a raw near-mint copy — a 67× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.

Which grading company is best for Dark Pupitar?

By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $2,377, ahead of CGC 10 at $63.77. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.

What centering does Dark Pupitar 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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