Is Rocket's Articuno ex worth grading?
Pokémon · Team Rocket Returns · 96/109 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Rocket's Articuno ex sells for $9,085 against $480 raw: a $8,605 spread, 19× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($1,431) 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)
- $480
- PSA 10
- $9,085
- PSA 9
- $1,431
- Gem premium
- 19×
- 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 | $9,085 | +$8,580 | +$8,555 | +$8,455 |
| PSA 9 | $1,431 | +$926 | +$901 | +$801 |
| PSA 8 | $900 | +$395 | +$370 | +$270 |
Net = sale price − $480 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% | $3,344 | +$2,814 |
| 50% | $5,258 | +$4,728 |
| 75% | $7,171 | +$6,641 |
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 | $9,085 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $1,548 | −$7,537 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $9,085 | $1,548 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | $1,750 |
| 9 | $1,431 | $604 | $1,180 |
| 8.5 | $574 | $537 | $571 |
| 8 | $900 | $300 | — |
| 7.5 | — | $420 | — |
| 7 | $509 | $375 | — |
| 6 | $315 | $250 | — |
| 5 | $333 | — | — |
| 4 | $212 | — | — |
| 3 | $114 | — | — |
| 2 | $157 | — | — |
| 1 | $213 | — | — |
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 Rocket's Articuno ex — FAQ
Is Rocket's Articuno ex worth grading?
A PSA 10 Rocket's Articuno ex sells for $9,085 against $480 raw: a $8,605 spread, 19× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($1,431) 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 Rocket's Articuno ex worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Rocket's Articuno ex (Team Rocket Returns 96/109) sells for about $9,085 versus $480 for a raw near-mint copy — a 19× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Rocket's Articuno ex?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $9,085, ahead of CGC 10 at $1,548. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Rocket's Articuno ex 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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