Is Sandshrew worth grading?
Pokémon · Team Rocket Returns · 74/109 · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 56× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Sandshrew sells for $117 against $2.08 raw: a $115 spread, 56× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($19.71) 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)
- $2.08
- PSA 10
- $117
- PSA 9
- $19.71
- Gem premium
- 56×
- 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 | $117 | +$90.41 | +$65.41 | −$34.59 |
| PSA 9 | $19.71 | −$7.37 | −$32.37 | −$132 |
| PSA 8 | $10.00 | −$17.08 | −$42.08 | −$142 |
Net = sale price − $2.08 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% | $44.16 | −$7.92 |
| 50% | $68.60 | +$16.52 |
| 75% | $93.04 | +$40.96 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 33%. 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 | $206 | −$3,644 | 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 | $3,850 | $22.88 |
| 9.5 | — | $6.23 |
| 9 | $134 | $21.90 |
| 8.5 | — | $84.99 |
| 8 | $24.63 | $25.00 |
| 7 | $18.00 | $44.00 |
| 6 | $22.88 | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
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Full set checklist →
Grading Sandshrew — FAQ
Is Sandshrew worth grading?
A PSA 10 Sandshrew sells for $117 against $2.08 raw: a $115 spread, 56× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($19.71) 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 $117 versus $2.08 for a raw near-mint copy — a 56× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Sandshrew?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $3,850, ahead of CGC 10 at $206. 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 33% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $19.71).
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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