Is Rocket's Zapdos worth grading?
Pokémon · Celebrations: Classic Collection · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 23× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Rocket's Zapdos sells for $67.62 against $2.94 raw: a $64.68 spread, 23× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($20.58) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $2.94
- PSA 10
- $67.62
- PSA 9
- $20.58
- Gem premium
- 23×
- 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 | $67.62 | +$39.68 | +$14.68 | −$85.32 |
| PSA 9 | $20.58 | −$7.36 | −$32.36 | −$132 |
| PSA 8 | $15.85 | −$12.09 | −$37.09 | −$137 |
Net = sale price − $2.94 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% | $32.34 | −$20.60 |
| 50% | $44.10 | −$8.84 |
| 75% | $55.86 | +$2.92 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 69%. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TAG 10 | $69.30 | best | 55/45 | 72/28 |
| PSA 10 | $67.62 | −$1.68 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $32.20 | −$37.10 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $25.21 | −$44.09 | 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.
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Grading Rocket's Zapdos — FAQ
Is Rocket's Zapdos worth grading?
A PSA 10 Rocket's Zapdos sells for $67.62 against $2.94 raw: a $64.68 spread, 23× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($20.58) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
How much is a PSA 10 Rocket's Zapdos worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Rocket's Zapdos (Celebrations: Classic Collection) sells for about $67.62 versus $2.94 for a raw near-mint copy — a 23× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Rocket's Zapdos?
By resale value, TAG 10 leads at $69.30, ahead of PSA 10 at $67.62. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Rocket's Zapdos need for a TAG 10?
TAG publishes 55/45 front and 72/28 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 Rocket's Zapdos break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Rocket's Zapdos breaks even when it gems about 69% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $20.58).
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