Is Dratini worth grading?
Pokémon · Team Rocket Returns · 53/109 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Dratini sells for $39.90 against $7.91 raw: a $31.99 spread, 5.0× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($189) 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)
- $7.91
- PSA 10
- $39.90
- PSA 9
- $189
- Gem premium
- 5.0×
- 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 | $39.90 | +$6.99 | −$18.01 | −$118 |
| PSA 9 | $189 | +$156 | +$131 | +$30.99 |
| PSA 8 | $29.23 | −$3.68 | −$28.68 | −$129 |
Net = sale price − $7.91 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% | $152 | +$93.74 |
| 50% | $114 | +$56.49 |
| 75% | $77.15 | +$19.24 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 88%. 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 | $660 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| PSA 10 | $39.90 | −$620 | 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | $39.90 | $660 |
| 9.5 | — | $13.97 |
| 9 | $272 | $140 |
| 8.5 | — | $14.00 |
| 8 | $112 | $13.00 |
| 7 | $33.75 | — |
| 5 | $69.14 | — |
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 Dratini — FAQ
Is Dratini worth grading?
A PSA 10 Dratini sells for $39.90 against $7.91 raw: a $31.99 spread, 5.0× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($189) 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 53/109) sells for about $39.90 versus $7.91 for a raw near-mint copy — a 5.0× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Dratini?
By resale value, CGC 10 leads at $660, ahead of PSA 10 at $39.90. 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 88% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $189).
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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