Is Bulbasaur worth grading?
Pokémon · Dark Explorers · 1/108 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 9 Bulbasaur sells for $150 against $9.12 raw: a $141 spread, 16× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($36.02) 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)
- $9.12
- PSA 9
- $150
- PSA 9
- $36.02
- Gem premium
- 16×
- 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 9 | $150 | +$116 | +$90.74 | −$9.26 |
| PSA 9 | $36.02 | +$1.90 | −$23.10 | −$123 |
| PSA 8 | $10.00 | −$24.12 | −$49.12 | −$149 |
Net = sale price − $9.12 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% | $64.48 | +$5.36 |
| 50% | $92.94 | +$33.82 |
| 75% | $121 | +$62.28 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 20%. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CGC 10 | $99.99 | best | 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | — | $99.99 |
| 9.5 | — | $15.50 |
| 9 | $150 | $30.00 |
| 8 | $32.90 | $47.99 |
| 7 | $58.30 | $6.00 |
| 6 | $25.00 | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other Dark Explorers cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Bulbasaur — FAQ
Is Bulbasaur worth grading?
A PSA 9 Bulbasaur sells for $150 against $9.12 raw: a $141 spread, 16× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($36.02) 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.
What centering does Bulbasaur need for a CGC 10?
CGC 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 Bulbasaur break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Bulbasaur breaks even when it gems about 20% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $36.02).
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