Is Ekans worth grading?
Pokémon · Team Rocket Returns · 55/109 · full price guide →
Grading rarely pays for this card
PSA 10 copies of Ekans sell for $19.00, only $18.46 above the $0.54 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. Even a PSA 9 ($62.13) clears the raw price after an economy-tier ~$25 fee, so a near-miss still comes out ahead. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
- Raw (NM)
- $0.54
- PSA 10
- $19.00
- PSA 9
- $62.13
- Gem premium
- 35×
- 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 | $19.00 | −$6.54 | −$31.54 | −$132 |
| PSA 9 | $62.13 | +$36.59 | +$11.59 | −$88.41 |
| PSA 8 | $9.61 | −$15.93 | −$40.93 | −$141 |
Net = sale price − $0.54 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% | $51.35 | +$0.81 |
| 50% | $40.56 | −$9.98 |
| 75% | $29.78 | −$20.76 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 27%. 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 | $23.22 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| PSA 10 | $19.00 | −$4.22 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| TAG 10 | $4.00 | −$19.22 | 55/45 | 72/28 |
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.
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Other Team Rocket Returns cards worth checking
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Grading Ekans — FAQ
Is Ekans worth grading?
PSA 10 copies of Ekans sell for $19.00, only $18.46 above the $0.54 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. Even a PSA 9 ($62.13) clears the raw price after an economy-tier ~$25 fee, so a near-miss still comes out ahead. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
How much is a PSA 10 Ekans worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Ekans (Team Rocket Returns 55/109) sells for about $19.00 versus $0.54 for a raw near-mint copy — a 35× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Ekans?
By resale value, CGC 10 leads at $23.22, ahead of PSA 10 at $19.00. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Ekans 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 Ekans break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Ekans breaks even when it gems about 27% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $62.13).
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