Is Houndour worth grading?
Pokémon · Team Rocket Returns · 59/109 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Houndour sells for $119 against $3.05 raw: a $116 spread, 39× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($31.50) 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)
- $3.05
- PSA 10
- $119
- PSA 9
- $31.50
- Gem premium
- 39×
- 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 | $119 | +$90.77 | +$65.77 | −$34.23 |
| PSA 9 | $31.50 | +$3.45 | −$21.55 | −$122 |
| PSA 8 | $14.76 | −$13.29 | −$38.29 | −$138 |
Net = sale price − $3.05 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% | $53.33 | +$0.28 |
| 50% | $75.16 | +$22.11 |
| 75% | $96.99 | +$43.94 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 25%. 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 | $494 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| PSA 10 | $154 | −$341 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| TAG 10 | $28.00 | −$466 | 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.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | PSA | CGC | TAG | ACE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $154 | $494 | $28.00 | — |
| 9.5 | — | $124 | — | — |
| 9 | $399 | $74.67 | $68.50 | — |
| 8.5 | — | $65.00 | — | — |
| 8 | $206 | $3.00 | — | $132 |
| 7.5 | — | $27.60 | — | — |
| 6 | $80.00 | — | — | — |
| 4.5 | — | $10.00 | — | — |
| 1 | $180 | — | — | — |
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 Houndour — FAQ
Is Houndour worth grading?
A PSA 10 Houndour sells for $119 against $3.05 raw: a $116 spread, 39× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($31.50) 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 Houndour worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Houndour (Team Rocket Returns 59/109) sells for about $119 versus $3.05 for a raw near-mint copy — a 39× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Houndour?
By resale value, CGC 10 leads at $494, ahead of PSA 10 at $154. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Houndour 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 Houndour break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Houndour breaks even when it gems about 25% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $31.50).
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.
Check my card free