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Best Base Cards to Grade

The Base cards where grading adds the most — ranked by net profit from raw to PSA 10 after real grading costs, with each card's estimated gem rate and risk-adjusted return. Top pick: Charizard at +$43,566 best-case net.

Best cards to grade, ranked by risk-adjusted grading profit
#CardRawPSA 10CostNet (best)Risk-adj.
1CharizardCharizardBase #4 · 0.4% gem rate$2,146$46,800$1,088+$43,566−$636
2BlastoiseBlastoiseBase #2 · 0.6% gem rate$825$16,800$588+$15,387−$447
3RaichuRaichuBase #14 · 3% gem rate$468$14,700$567+$13,666−$150
4MachampMachampBase #8 · 0.2% gem rate$76$7,380$494+$6,810−$465
5GyaradosGyaradosBase #6 · 0.9% gem rate$49$4,860$244+$4,568−$166
6AlakazamAlakazamBase #1 · 3.5% gem rate$429$5,040$470+$4,141−$298
7VenusaurVenusaurBase #15 · 1.4% gem rate$578$4,560$241+$3,741−$53
8ClefairyClefairyBase #5 · 3% gem rate$41$3,720$232+$3,447−$76
9MewtwoMewtwoBase #10 · 3% gem rate$504$2,760$223+$2,033+$172
10ZapdosZapdosBase #16 · 1.8% gem rate$185$2,307$128+$1,994−$82
11MagnetonMagnetonBase #9 · 2.8% gem rate$36$1,665$122+$1,508−$42
12Double Colorless EnergyDouble Colorless EnergyBase #96 · 13.6% gem rate$25$1,647$121+$1,501+$148
13Impostor Professor OakImpostor Professor OakBase #73 · 14.8% gem rate$13$720$87+$620+$84
14PikachuPikachuBase #58 · 7.1% gem rate$17$594$86+$491+$9
15VoltorbVoltorbBase #67 · 19.7% gem rate$5$438$74+$359+$45
16DragonairDragonairBase #18 · 7.8% gem rate$18$450$74+$358−$8
17Pokémon TraderPokémon TraderBase #77 · 14.2% gem rate$34$448$74+$339+$21
18Pokémon BreederPokémon BreederBase #76 · 15.8% gem rate$7$382$74+$301+$33
19Scoop UpScoop UpBase #78 · 17.5% gem rate$9$380$74+$297+$50
20CharmeleonCharmeleonBase #24 · 10.9% gem rate$5$372$74+$293−$12
21Clefairy DollClefairy DollBase #70 · 12.5% gem rate$9$369$74+$286+$25
22IvysaurIvysaurBase #30 · 12.7% gem rate$5$342$73+$264−$15
23DefenderDefenderBase #80 · 14% gem rate$16$353$74+$263+$23
24DugtrioDugtrioBase #19 · 11.9% gem rate$11$344$73+$260−$2
25Pokémon CenterPokémon CenterBase #85 · 21.2% gem rate$13$316$73+$231+$22
26WartortleWartortleBase #42 · 4.8% gem rate$23$327$73+$230−$44
27ElectrodeElectrodeBase #21 · 13.7% gem rate$8$304$73+$222−$10
28Full HealFull HealBase #82 · 13.6% gem rate$12$300$73+$215−$18
29Item FinderItem FinderBase #74 · 12% gem rate$8$295$73+$214+$31
30Devolution SprayDevolution SprayBase #72 · 10.6% gem rate$6$288$73+$209+$5
31KadabraKadabraBase #32 · 11.7% gem rate$11$268$73+$184−$17
32BeedrillBeedrillBase #17 · 12.8% gem rate$18$252$73+$161−$36
33ElectabuzzElectabuzzBase #20 · 14% gem rate$12$198$72+$114−$13
34LassLassBase #75 · 11.4% gem rate$11$183$72+$100−$34
35Computer SearchComputer SearchBase #71 · 17.5% gem rate$21$120$71+$28−$22
36Energy RemovalEnergy RemovalBase #92 · 17.1% gem rate$6$81$71+$4−$51

Net (best) = PSA 10 value − raw value − grading cost (PSA fees as of 2026-06-28). Risk-adjusted weights every grade by its estimated likelihood from PSA population (cumulative and biased toward nicer copies — a guide, not a guarantee).