Is Gyarados worth grading?
Pokémon · Ancient Origins · 20/98 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Gyarados sells for $149 against $1.06 raw: a $148 spread, 141× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($41.49) 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)
- $1.06
- PSA 10
- $149
- PSA 9
- $41.49
- Gem premium
- 141×
- 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 | $149 | +$123 | +$98.37 | −$1.63 |
| PSA 9 | $41.49 | +$15.43 | −$9.57 | −$110 |
| PSA 8 | $10.56 | −$15.50 | −$40.50 | −$141 |
Net = sale price − $1.06 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% | $68.47 | +$17.41 |
| 50% | $95.46 | +$44.40 |
| 75% | $122 | +$71.39 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 9%. 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 | $347 | best | 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 →Swipe the table for the other grading companies →
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other Ancient Origins cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Gyarados — FAQ
Is Gyarados worth grading?
A PSA 10 Gyarados sells for $149 against $1.06 raw: a $148 spread, 141× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($41.49) 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 Gyarados worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Gyarados (Ancient Origins 20/98) sells for about $149 versus $1.06 for a raw near-mint copy — a 141× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
What centering does Gyarados 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 Gyarados break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Gyarados breaks even when it gems about 9% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $41.49).
Best on iPhone & Android
Check your Pokémon card in the Midpoint app
Scan with your camera to measure centering to the millimeter, get an AI grade with corner and edge close-ups, see what your copy is worth, and track it in your portfolio. Free to start.
