Is Misty's Poliwhirl worth grading?
Pokémon · Gym Heroes · 53/132 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Misty's Poliwhirl sells for $98.68 against $10.87 raw: a $87.81 spread, 9.1× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($39.92) 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)
- $10.87
- PSA 10
- $98.68
- PSA 9
- $39.92
- Gem premium
- 9.1×
- 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 | $98.68 | +$62.81 | +$37.81 | −$62.19 |
| PSA 9 | $39.92 | +$4.05 | −$20.95 | −$121 |
| PSA 8 | $28.80 | −$7.07 | −$32.07 | −$132 |
Net = sale price − $10.87 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% | $54.61 | −$6.26 |
| 50% | $69.30 | +$8.43 |
| 75% | $83.99 | +$23.12 |
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 | $98.68 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $32.92 | −$65.76 | 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 | $62.60 | $32.92 | — |
| 9.5 | — | $49.99 | — |
| 9 | $24.78 | $49.76 | $40.00 |
| 8.5 | — | $6.00 | — |
| 8 | $28.80 | $9.01 | $15.50 |
| 7.5 | — | $5.00 | — |
| 7 | $25.00 | — | — |
| 6 | $15.39 | — | — |
| 5 | $14.50 | — | — |
| 4 | $18.00 | — | — |
| 3 | $12.00 | — | — |
Run your own numbers
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Grading Misty's Poliwhirl — FAQ
Is Misty's Poliwhirl worth grading?
A PSA 10 Misty's Poliwhirl sells for $98.68 against $10.87 raw: a $87.81 spread, 9.1× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($39.92) 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 Misty's Poliwhirl worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Misty's Poliwhirl (Gym Heroes 53/132) sells for about $98.68 versus $10.87 for a raw near-mint copy — a 9.1× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Misty's Poliwhirl?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $98.68, ahead of CGC 10 at $32.92. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Misty's Poliwhirl 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 Misty's Poliwhirl break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Misty's Poliwhirl breaks even when it gems about 36% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $39.92).
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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