Is Dark Slowking worth grading?
Pokémon · Team Rocket Returns · 9/109 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Dark Slowking sells for $1,677 against $95.94 raw: a $1,581 spread, 17× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($252) 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)
- $95.94
- PSA 10
- $1,677
- PSA 9
- $252
- Gem premium
- 17×
- 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 | $1,677 | +$1,556 | +$1,531 | +$1,431 |
| PSA 9 | $252 | +$131 | +$106 | +$5.94 |
| PSA 8 | $155 | +$33.62 | +$8.62 | −$91.38 |
Net = sale price − $95.94 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% | $608 | +$462 |
| 50% | $965 | +$819 |
| 75% | $1,321 | +$1,175 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
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 | $1,677 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $250 | −$1,427 | 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 | BGS | ACE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $968 | $250 | — | — |
| 9.5 | — | $249 | — | — |
| 9 | $471 | $145 | $87.35 | — |
| 8.5 | — | $60.00 | $50.00 | — |
| 8 | $255 | $79.73 | — | $51.60 |
| 7.5 | — | $41.89 | — | — |
| 7 | $90.37 | $125 | — | — |
| 6 | $35.00 | — | — | — |
| 5 | $40.96 | — | — | — |
| 4 | $200 | — | — | — |
| 3 | $91.95 | — | — | — |
| 1 | $190 | — | — | — |
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 Dark Slowking — FAQ
Is Dark Slowking worth grading?
A PSA 10 Dark Slowking sells for $1,677 against $95.94 raw: a $1,581 spread, 17× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($252) 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 Dark Slowking worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Dark Slowking (Team Rocket Returns 9/109) sells for about $1,677 versus $95.94 for a raw near-mint copy — a 17× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Dark Slowking?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $1,677, ahead of CGC 10 at $250. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Dark Slowking 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.
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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