Is Articuno worth grading?
Pokémon · Roaring Skies · 17/108 · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 48× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Articuno sells for $158 against $3.26 raw: a $155 spread, 48× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($27.64) 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)
- $3.26
- PSA 10
- $158
- PSA 9
- $27.64
- Gem premium
- 48×
- 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 | $158 | +$130 | +$105 | +$4.67 |
| PSA 9 | $27.64 | −$0.62 | −$25.62 | −$126 |
| PSA 8 | $21.50 | −$6.76 | −$31.76 | −$132 |
Net = sale price − $3.26 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% | $60.21 | +$6.95 |
| 50% | $92.78 | +$39.52 |
| 75% | $125 | +$72.10 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 20%. 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 | $7,777 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $68.53 | −$7,708 | 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | $7,777 | $68.53 |
| 9 | $42.12 | $14.96 |
| 8.5 | — | $20.00 |
| 8 | $24.00 | — |
| 7.5 | — | $6.99 |
| 7 | $6.50 | — |
| 6 | $34.99 | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other Roaring Skies cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Articuno — FAQ
Is Articuno worth grading?
A PSA 10 Articuno sells for $158 against $3.26 raw: a $155 spread, 48× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($27.64) 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 Articuno worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Articuno (Roaring Skies 17/108) sells for about $158 versus $3.26 for a raw near-mint copy — a 48× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Articuno?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $7,777, ahead of CGC 10 at $68.53. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Articuno 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 Articuno break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Articuno breaks even when it gems about 20% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $27.64).
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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