Is Zapdos worth grading?
Pokémon · Base Set 2 · 20/130 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Zapdos sells for $373 against $39.56 raw: a $333 spread, 9.4× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($130) 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)
- $39.56
- PSA 10
- $373
- PSA 9
- $130
- Gem premium
- 9.4×
- 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 | $373 | +$308 | +$283 | +$183 |
| PSA 9 | $130 | +$65.04 | +$40.04 | −$59.96 |
| PSA 8 | $87.17 | +$22.61 | −$2.39 | −$102 |
Net = sale price − $39.56 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% | $190 | +$101 |
| 50% | $251 | +$162 |
| 75% | $312 | +$223 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
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 | $373 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $275 | −$97.98 | 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 →| Grade | PSA | CGC | BGS | SGC | TAG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $373 | $275 | — | — | — |
| 9.5 | — | $65.38 | $103 | $65.00 | — |
| 9 | $130 | $89.14 | $84.20 | $39.99 | — |
| 8.5 | $106 | $69.55 | $40.86 | $26.00 | $49.91 |
| 8 | $87.17 | $56.21 | $39.97 | $20.00 | — |
| 7.5 | $60.00 | $40.91 | — | — | $49.69 |
| 7 | $43.18 | $20.61 | — | $18.01 | — |
| 6.5 | — | $24.35 | — | — | — |
| 6 | $30.00 | $18.99 | — | — | — |
| 5.5 | — | $8.00 | — | — | — |
| 5 | $26.27 | $13.00 | — | — | — |
| 4.5 | — | $15.00 | — | — | — |
| 4 | $21.37 | $12.00 | — | — | — |
| 3.5 | — | $13.00 | — | — | — |
| 3 | $12.05 | — | — | $8.50 | — |
| 2 | $15.50 | — | — | — | — |
| 1.5 | — | $35.00 | — | — | — |
| 1 | $44.03 | — | — | — | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other Base Set 2 cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Zapdos — FAQ
Is Zapdos worth grading?
A PSA 10 Zapdos sells for $373 against $39.56 raw: a $333 spread, 9.4× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($130) 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 Zapdos worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Zapdos (Base Set 2 20/130) sells for about $373 versus $39.56 for a raw near-mint copy — a 9.4× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Zapdos?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $373, ahead of CGC 10 at $275. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Zapdos 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.
Is your Pokémon card centered well enough to grade?
Centering makes or breaks a PSA 10. Scan any card with Midpoint to measure its exact centering, get a grade estimate, and see what your copy is actually worth.
Check my card free