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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−$639
2BlastoiseBlastoiseBase #2 · 0.6% gem rate$825$16,800$588+$15,387−$447
3RaichuRaichuBase #14 · 3% gem rate$468$14,700$567+$13,666−$61
4MachampMachampBase #8 · 0.2% gem rate$76$7,380$494+$6,810−$465
5GyaradosGyaradosBase #6 · 0.9% gem rate$50$4,860$244+$4,567−$165
6AlakazamAlakazamBase #1 · 3.5% gem rate$429$5,040$470+$4,141−$300
7VenusaurVenusaurBase #15 · 1.4% gem rate$578$4,560$241+$3,741−$53
8ClefairyClefairyBase #5 · 3% gem rate$41$3,720$232+$3,447−$82
9MewtwoMewtwoBase #10 · 3% gem rate$504$2,760$223+$2,033+$172
10ZapdosZapdosBase #16 · 1.8% gem rate$185$2,293$128+$1,980−$82
11MagnetonMagnetonBase #9 · 2.8% gem rate$36$1,665$122+$1,507−$43
12Double Colorless EnergyDouble Colorless EnergyBase #96 · 13.6% gem rate$25$1,637$121+$1,491+$146
13PorygonPorygonBase #39 · 14.4% gem rate$11$804$88+$705+$74
14Impostor Professor OakImpostor Professor OakBase #73 · 14.8% gem rate$8$720$87+$624+$87
15PikachuPikachuBase #58 · 7.1% gem rate$17$590$86+$488+$8
16VoltorbVoltorbBase #67 · 19.7% gem rate$5$438$74+$358+$45
17DragonairDragonairBase #18 · 7.8% gem rate$18$447$74+$355−$8
18Pokémon TraderPokémon TraderBase #77 · 14.2% gem rate$34$445$74+$337+$20
19Pokémon BreederPokémon BreederBase #76 · 15.8% gem rate$7$379$74+$298+$33
20Scoop UpScoop UpBase #78 · 17.5% gem rate$9$378$74+$295+$49
21CharmeleonCharmeleonBase #24 · 10.9% gem rate$5$372$74+$293−$12
22Clefairy DollClefairy DollBase #70 · 12.5% gem rate$9$367$74+$284+$25
23DefenderDefenderBase #80 · 14% gem rate$16$351$74+$262+$23
24DugtrioDugtrioBase #19 · 11.9% gem rate$11$342$73+$258−$2
25Pokémon CenterPokémon CenterBase #85 · 21.2% gem rate$13$314$73+$229+$22
26WartortleWartortleBase #42 · 4.8% gem rate$23$325$73+$228−$45
27ElectrodeElectrodeBase #21 · 13.7% gem rate$8$302$73+$221−$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$8$288$73+$207+$3
31KadabraKadabraBase #32 · 11.7% gem rate$11$266$73+$183−$18
32BeedrillBeedrillBase #17 · 12.8% gem rate$18$252$73+$161−$36
33HaunterHaunterBase #29 · 12.1% gem rate$6$197$72+$119−$29
34ElectabuzzElectabuzzBase #20 · 14% gem rate$12$197$72+$113−$13
35LassLassBase #75 · 11.4% gem rate$11$181$72+$99−$34
36Computer SearchComputer SearchBase #71 · 17.5% gem rate$21$120$71+$28−$22
37Energy 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).