Is Poliwhirl worth grading?
Pokémon · 151 · 176/165 · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 6.8× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Poliwhirl sells for $278 against $41.10 raw: a $236 spread, 6.8× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($57.88) 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)
- $41.10
- PSA 10
- $278
- PSA 9
- $57.88
- Gem premium
- 6.8×
- As of
- Sep 25, 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 | $278 | +$211 | +$186 | +$86.49 |
| PSA 9 | $57.88 | −$8.22 | −$33.22 | −$133 |
| PSA 8 | $43.44 | −$22.66 | −$47.66 | −$148 |
Net = sale price − $41.10 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% | $113 | +$21.71 |
| 50% | $168 | +$76.63 |
| 75% | $223 | +$132 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 15%. 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 | $278 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| TAG 10 | $252 | −$25.13 | 55/45 | 72/28 |
| CGC 10 | $93.13 | −$184 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $62.21 | −$215 | 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 Poliwhirl — FAQ
Is Poliwhirl worth grading?
A PSA 10 Poliwhirl sells for $278 against $41.10 raw: a $236 spread, 6.8× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($57.88) 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 Poliwhirl worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Poliwhirl (151 176/165) sells for about $278 versus $41.10 for a raw near-mint copy — a 6.8× premium as of Sep 25, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Poliwhirl?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $278, ahead of TAG 10 at $252. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does 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 Poliwhirl break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Poliwhirl breaks even when it gems about 15% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $57.88).
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