Is Charmander worth grading?
Pokémon · Ascended Heroes · 020/217 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Charmander sells for $224 against $0.14 raw: a $223 spread, 1597× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($41.71) 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)
- $0.14
- PSA 10
- $224
- PSA 9
- $41.71
- Gem premium
- 1597×
- As of
- Oct 4, 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 | $224 | +$198 | +$173 | +$73.43 |
| PSA 9 | $41.71 | +$16.57 | −$8.43 | −$108 |
| PSA 8 | $12.49 | −$12.65 | −$37.65 | −$138 |
Net = sale price − $0.14 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% | $87.17 | +$37.03 |
| 50% | $133 | +$82.50 |
| 75% | $178 | +$128 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 5%. 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 | $224 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $16.44 | −$207 | 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.
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Grading Charmander — FAQ
Is Charmander worth grading?
A PSA 10 Charmander sells for $224 against $0.14 raw: a $223 spread, 1597× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($41.71) 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 Charmander worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Charmander (Ascended Heroes 020/217) sells for about $224 versus $0.14 for a raw near-mint copy — a 1597× premium as of Oct 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Charmander?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $224, ahead of CGC 10 at $16.44. 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 5% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $41.71).
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