Is Chikorita worth grading?
Pokémon · HeartGold & SoulSilver · 59/123 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Chikorita sells for $42.36 against $1.73 raw: a $40.63 spread, 24× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($36.00) 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)
- $1.73
- PSA 10
- $42.36
- PSA 9
- $36.00
- Gem premium
- 24×
- 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 | $42.36 | +$15.63 | −$9.37 | −$109 |
| PSA 9 | $36.00 | +$9.27 | −$15.73 | −$116 |
| PSA 8 | $16.00 | −$10.73 | −$35.73 | −$136 |
Net = sale price − $1.73 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% | $37.59 | −$14.14 |
| 50% | $39.18 | −$12.55 |
| 75% | $40.77 | −$10.96 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA 10 | $42.36 | 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 | $42.36 | — |
| 9 | $36.00 | $29.99 |
| 8.5 | — | $28.00 |
| 8 | $34.00 | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other HeartGold & SoulSilver cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Chikorita — FAQ
Is Chikorita worth grading?
A PSA 10 Chikorita sells for $42.36 against $1.73 raw: a $40.63 spread, 24× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($36.00) 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.
How much is a PSA 10 Chikorita worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Chikorita (HeartGold & SoulSilver 59/123) sells for about $42.36 versus $1.73 for a raw near-mint copy — a 24× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
What centering does Chikorita 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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