Is Squirtle worth grading?
Pokémon · Mega Evolution Black Star Promos · 039 · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 5.7× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Squirtle sells for $162 against $28.62 raw: a $133 spread, 5.7× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($41.34) 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)
- $28.62
- PSA 10
- $162
- PSA 9
- $41.34
- Gem premium
- 5.7×
- 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 | $162 | +$108 | +$83.20 | −$16.80 |
| PSA 9 | $41.34 | −$12.28 | −$37.28 | −$137 |
| PSA 8 | $26.00 | −$27.62 | −$52.62 | −$153 |
Net = sale price − $28.62 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% | $71.46 | −$7.16 |
| 50% | $102 | +$22.96 |
| 75% | $132 | +$53.08 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 31%. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BGS 10 | $297 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| TAG 10 | $199 | −$97.46 | 55/45 | 72/28 |
| PSA 10 | $162 | −$135 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $71.74 | −$225 | 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 | TAG | ACE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $162 | $71.74 | $297 | $199 | $91.65 |
| 9.5 | — | $53.72 | $104 | — | — |
| 9 | $41.34 | $40.60 | $72.00 | $29.07 | $47.31 |
| 8.5 | — | $39.99 | — | — | — |
| 8 | $26.00 | $10.55 | — | — | — |
| 7 | $15.04 | — | — | — | — |
| 6.5 | — | $22.50 | — | — | — |
Run your own numbers
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Other Mega Evolution Black Star Promos cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Squirtle — FAQ
Is Squirtle worth grading?
A PSA 10 Squirtle sells for $162 against $28.62 raw: a $133 spread, 5.7× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($41.34) 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 Squirtle worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Squirtle (Mega Evolution Black Star Promos 039) sells for about $162 versus $28.62 for a raw near-mint copy — a 5.7× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Squirtle?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $297, ahead of TAG 10 at $199. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Squirtle need for a BGS 10?
BGS publishes 55/45 front and 70/30 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 Squirtle break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Squirtle breaks even when it gems about 31% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $41.34).
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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