Is Ninetales worth grading?
Pokémon · Sword & Shield · 023/202 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A SGC 10 Ninetales sells for $220 against $0.48 raw: a $220 spread, 458× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($46.00) 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)
- $0.48
- SGC 10
- $220
- PSA 9
- $46.00
- Gem premium
- 458×
- 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 — SGC 10 | $220 | +$195 | +$170 | +$69.52 |
| PSA 9 | $46.00 | +$20.52 | −$4.48 | −$104 |
| PSA 8 | $39.99 | +$14.51 | −$10.49 | −$110 |
Net = sale price − $0.48 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% | $89.50 | +$39.02 |
| 50% | $133 | +$82.52 |
| 75% | $177 | +$126 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 3%. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SGC 10 | $220 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $6.00 | −$214 | 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 | SGC |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | — | $6.00 | $220 |
| 9 | $46.00 | — | — |
| 8 | $39.99 | — | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other Sword & Shield cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Ninetales — FAQ
Is Ninetales worth grading?
A SGC 10 Ninetales sells for $220 against $0.48 raw: a $220 spread, 458× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($46.00) 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.
Which grading company is best for Ninetales?
By resale value, SGC 10 leads at $220, ahead of CGC 10 at $6.00. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Ninetales need for a SGC 10?
SGC 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 Ninetales break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Ninetales breaks even when it gems about 3% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $46.00).
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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