Is Charmander worth grading?
Pokémon · Phantasmal Flames · 011/094 · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 502× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Charmander sells for $115 against $0.23 raw: a $115 spread, 502× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($18.68) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $0.23
- PSA 10
- $115
- PSA 9
- $18.68
- Gem premium
- 502×
- 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 | $115 | +$90.15 | +$65.15 | −$34.85 |
| PSA 9 | $18.68 | −$6.55 | −$31.55 | −$132 |
| PSA 8 | $7.50 | −$17.73 | −$42.73 | −$143 |
Net = sale price − $0.23 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% | $42.85 | −$7.38 |
| 50% | $67.03 | +$16.80 |
| 75% | $91.20 | +$40.97 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 33%. 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 | $115 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $37.99 | −$77.39 | 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 | ACE |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $115 | $37.99 | $40.37 |
| 9 | $21.45 | — | — |
| 8 | $7.50 | — | — |
Run your own numbers
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Other Phantasmal Flames cards worth checking
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Grading Charmander — FAQ
Is Charmander worth grading?
A PSA 10 Charmander sells for $115 against $0.23 raw: a $115 spread, 502× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($18.68) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
How much is a PSA 10 Charmander worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Charmander (Phantasmal Flames 011/094) sells for about $115 versus $0.23 for a raw near-mint copy — a 502× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Charmander?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $115, ahead of CGC 10 at $37.99. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Charmander 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 Charmander break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Charmander breaks even when it gems about 33% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $18.68).
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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