Best HeartGold & SoulSilver Cards to Grade
The HeartGold & SoulSilver cards worth grading, ranked by expected profit per submission — every grade outcome weighted by how often the card actually receives it — after current grading fees. The PSA 10 best case is shown on every row but does not decide the order. Top pick: Gyarados at an expected +$1,455.
Ranked by expected profit 36
| # | Card | Raw | PSA 9 | PSA 10 | Cost | Best case | Gem rate | Expected | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Expected +$1,455 per submission: 2% of 614 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($6,700), and a PSA 9 ($6,500) still clears the $903 you have in it. Confidence high on that sample. | $217 | $6,500 | $6,700 | $686 | +$5,797 | 2% | +$1,455 | 614 high |
| 2 | Expected +$1,020 per submission: 2.2% of 819 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($38,400), and a PSA 9 ($1,150) still clears the $2,463 you have in it. Confidence high on that sample. | $60 | $1,150 | $38,400 | $2,403 | +$35,937 | 2.2% | +$1,020 | 819 high |
| 3 | Expected +$482 per submission: 4.6% of 582 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($10,500), and a PSA 9 ($326) still clears the $1,174 you have in it. Confidence high on that sample. | $50 | $326 | $10,500 | $1,124 | +$9,326 | 4.6% | +$482 | 582 high |
| 4 | Expected +$447 per submission: 3.2% of 1,063 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($5,600), and a PSA 9 ($2,000) still clears the $811 you have in it. Confidence high on that sample. | $136 | $2,000 | $5,600 | $675 | +$4,789 | 3.2% | +$447 | 1,063 high |
| 5 | Expected +$384 per submission: 1.8% of 851 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($8,000), and a PSA 9 ($1,400) still clears the $764 you have in it. Confidence high on that sample. | $65 | $1,400 | $8,000 | $699 | +$7,236 | 1.8% | +$384 | 851 high |
| 6 | Expected +$379 per submission: 5.4% of 185 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($4,725), and a PSA 9 ($1,890) still clears the $430 you have in it. Confidence high on that sample. | $14 | $1,890 | $4,725 | $416 | +$4,295 | 5.4% | +$379 | 185 high |
| 7 | Expected +$364 per submission: 2.9% of 1,305 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($5,700), and a PSA 9 ($1,250) still clears the $914 you have in it. Confidence high on that sample. | $238 | $1,250 | $5,700 | $676 | +$4,786 | 2.9% | +$364 | 1,305 high |
| 8 | Expected +$350 per submission: 1% of 958 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($19,400), and a PSA 9 ($950) still clears the $1,279 you have in it. Confidence high on that sample. | $66 | $950 | $19,400 | $1,213 | +$18,121 | 1% | +$350 | 958 high |
| 9 | Expected +$311 per submission: 1% of 1,367 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($3,452), and a PSA 9 ($2,760) still clears the $704 you have in it. Confidence high on that sample. | $300 | $2,760 | $3,452 | $404 | +$2,749 | 1% | +$311 | 1,367 high |
| 10 | Expected +$278 per submission: 3.1% of 1,022 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($2,850), and a PSA 9 ($1,000) still clears the $480 you have in it. Confidence high on that sample. | $82 | $1,000 | $2,850 | $398 | +$2,370 | 3.1% | +$278 | 1,022 high |
| 11 | Expected +$260 per submission: 1.4% of 942 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($2,088), and a PSA 9 ($1,125) still clears the $344 you have in it. Confidence high on that sample. | $104 | $1,125 | $2,088 | $240 | +$1,743 | 1.4% | +$260 | 942 high |
| 12 | Expected +$194 per submission: 18.8% of 112 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($1,600), and only a PSA 10 covers the $256 you have in it — a 9 loses money. Confidence high on that sample. | $21 | $35 | $1,600 | $235 | +$1,344 | 18.8% | +$194 | 112 high |
| 13 | Expected +$155 per submission: 3.6% of 138 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($2,287), and a PSA 9 ($600) still clears the $262 you have in it. Confidence high on that sample. | $20 | $600 | $2,287 | $242 | +$2,025 | 3.6% | +$155 | 138 high |
| 14 | Expected +$96 per submission: 4.5% of 66 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($3,960), and only a PSA 10 covers the $441 you have in it — a 9 loses money. Confidence medium on that sample. | $32 | $72 | $3,960 | $409 | +$3,520 | 4.5% | +$96 | 66 medium |
| 15 | Expected +$91 per submission: 2.7% of 255 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($841), and a PSA 9 ($500) still clears the $168 you have in it. Confidence high on that sample. | $80 | $500 | $841 | $88 | +$673 | 2.7% | +$91 | 255 high |
| 16 | Expected +$87 per submission: 1.4% of 212 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($590), and a PSA 9 ($450) still clears the $121 you have in it. Confidence high on that sample. | $35 | $450 | $590 | $86 | +$469 | 1.4% | +$87 | 212 high |
| 17 | Expected +$40 per submission: 16.7% of 18 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($400), and a PSA 9 ($100) still clears the $92 you have in it. Confidence low on that sample. | $8 | $100 | $400 | $84 | +$308 | 16.7% | +$40 | 18 low |
| 18 | Expected +$35 per submission: 11.4% of 88 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($1,000), and only a PSA 10 covers the $111 you have in it — a 9 loses money. Confidence medium on that sample. | $21 | $42 | $1,000 | $90 | +$889 | 11.4% | +$35 | 88 medium |
| 19 | Expected +$32 per submission: 14.7% of 163 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($564), and a PSA 9 ($105) still clears the $99 you have in it. Confidence high on that sample. | $13 | $105 | $564 | $86 | +$465 | 14.7% | +$32 | 163 high |
| 20 | Expected +$32 per submission: 1.1% of 93 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($347), and a PSA 9 ($215) still clears the $101 you have in it. Confidence medium on that sample. | $18 | $215 | $347 | $83 | +$246 | 1.1% | +$32 | 93 medium |
| 21 | Expected +$-0 per submission: 19.4% of 31 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($393), and only a PSA 10 covers the $90 you have in it — a 9 loses money. Confidence medium on that sample. | $6 | $18 | $393 | $84 | +$303 | 19.4% | +$0 | 31 medium |
| 22 | Expected loss −$28 per submission: 9.1% of 11 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($193), and only a PSA 10 covers the $95 you have in it — a 9 loses money. Confidence low on that sample. | $13 | $80 | $193 | $82 | +$98 | 9.1% | −$28 | 11 low |
| 23 | Expected loss −$28 per submission: 2.7% of 74 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($157), and a PSA 9 ($95) still clears the $90 you have in it. Confidence medium on that sample. | $8 | $95 | $157 | $82 | +$67 | 2.7% | −$28 | 74 medium |
| 24 | Expected loss −$28 per submission: 8.3% of 12 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($106), and a PSA 9 ($88) still clears the $88 you have in it. Confidence low on that sample. | $7 | $88 | $106 | $81 | +$18 | 8.3% | −$28 | 12 low |
| 25 | Expected loss −$35 per submission: 0% of 72 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($163), and only a PSA 10 covers the $90 you have in it — a 9 loses money. Confidence medium on that sample. | $8 | $65 | $163 | $82 | +$73 | 0% | −$35 | 72 medium |
| 26 | Expected loss −$36 per submission: 0% of 99 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($270), and a PSA 9 ($122) still clears the $98 you have in it. Confidence medium on that sample. | $15 | $122 | $270 | $83 | +$172 | 0% | −$36 | 99 medium |
| 27 | Expected loss −$37 per submission: 7.1% of 42 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($530), and only a PSA 10 covers the $92 you have in it — a 9 loses money. Confidence medium on that sample. | $7 | $25 | $530 | $85 | +$438 | 7.1% | −$37 | 42 medium |
| 28 | Expected loss −$37 per submission: 10.2% of 108 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($170), and only a PSA 10 covers the $107 you have in it — a 9 loses money. Confidence high on that sample. | $25 | $100 | $170 | $82 | +$63 | 10.2% | −$37 | 108 high |
| 29 | Expected loss −$44 per submission: 15.4% of 13 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($193), and only a PSA 10 covers the $96 you have in it — a 9 loses money. Confidence low on that sample. | $14 | $74 | $193 | $82 | +$97 | 15.4% | −$44 | 13 low |
| 30 | Expected loss −$51 per submission: 16.7% of 12 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($211), and only a PSA 10 covers the $97 you have in it — a 9 loses money. Confidence low on that sample. | $15 | $8 | $211 | $82 | +$114 | 16.7% | −$51 | 12 low |
| 31 | Expected loss −$60 per submission: 3% of 66 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($134), and only a PSA 10 covers the $89 you have in it — a 9 loses money. Confidence medium on that sample. | $8 | $40 | $134 | $81 | +$44 | 3% | −$60 | 66 medium |
| 32 | Expected loss −$61 per submission: 9.1% of 11 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($109), and only a PSA 10 covers the $87 you have in it — a 9 loses money. Confidence low on that sample. | $6 | $44 | $109 | $81 | +$22 | 9.1% | −$61 | 11 low |
| 33 | Expected loss −$64 per submission: 8.3% of 12 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($109), and only a PSA 10 covers the $86 you have in it — a 9 loses money. Confidence low on that sample. | $5 | $35 | $109 | $81 | +$23 | 8.3% | −$64 | 12 low |
| 34 | Expected loss −$73 per submission: 4.3% of 23 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($122), and only a PSA 10 covers the $90 you have in it — a 9 loses money. Confidence low on that sample. | $9 | $17 | $122 | $81 | +$31 | 4.3% | −$73 | 23 low |
| 35 | Expected loss −$75 per submission: 0% of 10 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($159), and only a PSA 10 covers the $91 you have in it — a 9 loses money. Confidence low on that sample. | $9 | $25 | $159 | $82 | +$68 | 0% | −$75 | 10 low |
| 36 | Expected loss −$80 per submission: 0% of 13 graded copies came back PSA 10 ($181), and only a PSA 10 covers the $91 you have in it — a 9 loses money. Confidence low on that sample. | $9 | $10 | $181 | $82 | +$90 | 0% | −$80 | 13 low |
Best case only — no gem-rate evidence 4
Fewer than 10 graded copies in the PSA and CGC population reports. They clear the grading cost if they gem — that is all the numbers support.
| # | Card | Raw | PSA 9 | PSA 10 | Cost | Best case | Gem rate | Expected | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 37 | $16 | — | $242 | $82 | +$144 | — | — | none <10 | |
| 38 | $7 | — | $131 | $81 | +$43 | — | — | none <10 | |
| 39 | $6 | — | $105 | $81 | +$18 | — | — | none <10 | |
| 40 | $6 | — | $101 | $81 | +$14 | — | — | none <10 |
Expected = every grade outcome weighted by its share of the card's graded population, minus the raw price and the grading cost (PSA tier fee for the graded value plus ~$20 round-trip shipping, fees as of 2026-09-26). Best case is the PSA 10 leg alone. Gem rates come from a self-selected population — collectors grade their cleanest copies — so read them as an upper bound. Raw is a blended market price, not a sale of your copy. Full method and filters on the grading index.
How to read the HeartGold & SoulSilver ranking
Every HeartGold & SoulSilver card listed here clears one bar: its PSA 10 price beats its raw price by more than the cost of grading it. 40 cards from the set pass. 36 of them (90%) have a gem-rate sample of at least ten graded copies in the population reports, and 20 of those keep a positive expected value once every grade outcome is weighted by how often the card actually receives it.
The order is expected profit, not the PSA 10 best case, which rewards the widest raw-to-gem gap whether the card gems one time in two or one in fifty. Here the top row, the Gyarados from HeartGold & SoulSilver, gems 2% of the time across 614 graded copies: +$1,455 is what a long run of submissions would average, $5,797 is what one lucky copy returns.
The median gem rate across the sampled HeartGold & SoulSilver cards is 3.6%. Roughly one submitted copy in 28 came back PSA 10, and most rows here still cover raw price plus fee at PSA 9, so the PSA 9 price does most of the work. Of the 36 ranked cards, 20 still cover raw price plus fee at PSA 9, 16 need a 10 to break even and 15 lose money on expectation. 17 rest on a hundred or more graded copies.
4 cards sit below the ranking with a best case only, fewer than ten graded copies. The largest best case among them is the Sunflora from HeartGold & SoulSilver at +$144.
Before you submit a HeartGold & SoulSilver card
Grading pays on condition. The four things every grader scores — centering, corners, edges and surface — can be checked at home before paying a fee, and a copy that is visibly off-centre or has a whitened corner will not gem whatever the population says. Those gem rates come from a self-selected population of clean copies, so a random copy does worse.
The cost column assumes a PSA submission at the tier covering the card's PSA 10 value, fees as of 2026-09-26, and raw is CardTrack's blended near-mint price, not a sale of your copy: pay more, or hold a lighter copy, and the break-even moves against you. Test a card with your own numbers in the ROI calculator, see the printings that fail the bar on the HeartGold & SoulSilver card list, or see how gem-mint premiums run across the whole catalogue on the PSA premium index.