Is Dratini worth grading?
Pokémon · Team Rocket Returns · 52/109 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Dratini sells for $137 against $3.57 raw: a $134 spread, 38× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($51.40) 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)
- $3.57
- PSA 10
- $137
- PSA 9
- $51.40
- Gem premium
- 38×
- As of
- Aug 18, 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 | $137 | +$109 | +$83.74 | −$16.26 |
| PSA 9 | $51.40 | +$22.83 | −$2.17 | −$102 |
| PSA 8 | $23.90 | −$4.67 | −$29.67 | −$130 |
Net = sale price − $3.57 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% | $72.88 | +$19.31 |
| 50% | $94.36 | +$40.79 |
| 75% | $116 | +$62.26 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 3%. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CGC 10 | $301 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| PSA 10 | $179 | −$122 | 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 | SGC | ACE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $179 | $301 | — | — | — |
| 9.5 | — | $79.00 | $15.00 | $2.00 | — |
| 9 | $175 | $63.26 | — | — | — |
| 8.5 | — | $7.00 | — | — | — |
| 8 | $65.30 | $50.00 | — | — | $121 |
| 7.5 | $35.00 | $33.00 | — | — | — |
| 7 | $110 | — | — | — | — |
| 6 | $20.00 | — | — | — | — |
| 4 | $109 | — | — | — | — |
Run your own numbers
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Other Team Rocket Returns cards worth checking
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Grading Dratini — FAQ
Is Dratini worth grading?
A PSA 10 Dratini sells for $137 against $3.57 raw: a $134 spread, 38× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($51.40) 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 Dratini worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Dratini (Team Rocket Returns 52/109) sells for about $137 versus $3.57 for a raw near-mint copy — a 38× premium as of Aug 18, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Dratini?
By resale value, CGC 10 leads at $301, ahead of PSA 10 at $179. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Dratini need for a CGC 10?
CGC 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 Dratini break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Dratini breaks even when it gems about 3% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $51.40).
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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