Is Swellow worth grading?
Pokémon · Emerald · 41/106 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 9 Swellow sells for $75.00 against $30.00 raw: a $45.00 spread, 2.5× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($75.00) 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)
- $30.00
- PSA 9
- $75.00
- PSA 9
- $75.00
- Gem premium
- 2.5×
- 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 9 | $75.00 | +$20.00 | −$5.00 | −$105 |
| PSA 9 | $75.00 | +$20.00 | −$5.00 | −$105 |
| PSA 8 | $28.00 | −$27.00 | −$52.00 | −$152 |
Net = sale price − $30.00 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% | $75.00 | −$5.00 |
| 50% | $75.00 | −$5.00 |
| 75% | $75.00 | −$5.00 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
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 | $38.00 | best | 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 | — | $38.00 |
| 9 | $33.05 | $26.55 |
| 8 | $49.92 | — |
| 7 | $39.01 | — |
| 5 | $40.56 | — |
| 4 | $5.00 | — |
| 1 | $48.31 | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other Emerald cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Swellow — FAQ
Is Swellow worth grading?
A PSA 9 Swellow sells for $75.00 against $30.00 raw: a $45.00 spread, 2.5× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($75.00) 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.
What centering does Swellow 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.
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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