Is Gyarados worth grading?
Pokémon · Ancient Origins · 21/98 · full price guide →
Grading rarely pays for this card
PSA 10 copies of Gyarados sell for $40.60, only $2.98 above the $37.62 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. Even a PSA 9 ($271) clears the raw price after an economy-tier ~$25 fee, so a near-miss still comes out ahead. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
- Raw (NM)
- $37.62
- PSA 10
- $40.60
- PSA 9
- $271
- Gem premium
- 1.1×
- As of
- Oct 8, 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 | $40.60 | −$22.02 | −$47.02 | −$147 |
| PSA 9 | $271 | +$208 | +$183 | +$82.99 |
| PSA 8 | $78.32 | +$15.70 | −$9.30 | −$109 |
Net = sale price − $37.62 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% | $213 | +$125 |
| 50% | $156 | +$67.99 |
| 75% | $98.10 | +$10.48 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 80%. 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 | $3,098 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| TAG 10 | $1,399 | −$1,699 | 55/45 | 72/28 |
| CGC 10 | $697 | −$2,401 | 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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Raw conditions & history →Swipe the table for the other grading companies →
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Other Ancient Origins cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Gyarados — FAQ
Is Gyarados worth grading?
PSA 10 copies of Gyarados sell for $40.60, only $2.98 above the $37.62 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. Even a PSA 9 ($271) clears the raw price after an economy-tier ~$25 fee, so a near-miss still comes out ahead. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
How much is a PSA 10 Gyarados worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Gyarados (Ancient Origins 21/98) sells for about $40.60 versus $37.62 for a raw near-mint copy — a 1.1× premium as of Oct 8, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Gyarados?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $3,098, ahead of TAG 10 at $1,399. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
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 80% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $271).
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