Is Zapdos worth grading?
Pokémon · Pokémon TCG Classic - Charizard · 012/034 · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 7.3× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Zapdos sells for $84.49 against $11.60 raw: a $72.89 spread, 7.3× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($27.62) 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)
- $11.60
- PSA 10
- $84.49
- PSA 9
- $27.62
- Gem premium
- 7.3×
- 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 | $84.49 | +$47.89 | +$22.89 | −$77.11 |
| PSA 9 | $27.62 | −$8.98 | −$33.98 | −$134 |
Net = sale price − $11.60 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% | $41.84 | −$19.76 |
| 50% | $56.05 | −$5.55 |
| 75% | $70.27 | +$8.67 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 60%. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BGS 10 | $350 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $84.49 | −$266 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| TAG 10 | $34.00 | −$316 | 55/45 | 72/28 |
| CGC 10 | $12.44 | −$338 | 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 | TAG | ACE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $84.49 | $12.44 | $350 | $34.00 | $39.89 |
| 9.5 | — | $9.04 | $7.00 | — | — |
| 9 | $27.62 | $14.39 | — | — | — |
| 8.5 | — | $5.50 | — | — | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
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Other Pokémon TCG Classic - Charizard cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Zapdos — FAQ
Is Zapdos worth grading?
A PSA 10 Zapdos sells for $84.49 against $11.60 raw: a $72.89 spread, 7.3× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($27.62) 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 Zapdos worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Zapdos (Pokémon TCG Classic - Charizard 012/034) sells for about $84.49 versus $11.60 for a raw near-mint copy — a 7.3× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Zapdos?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $350, ahead of PSA 10 at $84.49. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Zapdos need for a BGS 10?
BGS publishes 55/45 front and 70/30 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 Zapdos break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Zapdos breaks even when it gems about 60% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $27.62).
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.
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