Is Sandshrew worth grading?
Pokémon · Team Rocket Returns · 74/109 · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 52× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Sandshrew sells for $114 against $2.20 raw: a $112 spread, 52× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($17.88) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $2.20
- PSA 10
- $114
- PSA 9
- $17.88
- Gem premium
- 52×
- As of
- Oct 2, 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 | $114 | +$86.56 | +$61.56 | −$38.44 |
| PSA 9 | $17.88 | −$9.32 | −$34.32 | −$134 |
| PSA 8 | $9.80 | −$17.40 | −$42.40 | −$142 |
Net = sale price − $2.20 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% | $41.85 | −$10.35 |
| 50% | $65.82 | +$13.62 |
| 75% | $89.79 | +$37.59 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 36%. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA 10 | $3,850 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $199 | −$3,651 | 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.
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Grading Sandshrew — FAQ
Is Sandshrew worth grading?
A PSA 10 Sandshrew sells for $114 against $2.20 raw: a $112 spread, 52× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($17.88) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
How much is a PSA 10 Sandshrew worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Sandshrew (Team Rocket Returns 74/109) sells for about $114 versus $2.20 for a raw near-mint copy — a 52× premium as of Oct 2, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Sandshrew?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $3,850, ahead of CGC 10 at $199. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Sandshrew 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.
What gem rate makes grading Sandshrew break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Sandshrew breaks even when it gems about 36% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $17.88).
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