Is Charizard worth grading?
Pokémon · Expedition Base Set · 40/165 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Charizard sells for $1,444 against $124 raw: a $1,320 spread, 12× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($273) 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)
- $124
- PSA 10
- $1,444
- PSA 9
- $273
- Gem premium
- 12×
- 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 | $1,444 | +$1,295 | +$1,270 | +$1,170 |
| PSA 9 | $273 | +$125 | +$99.71 | −$0.29 |
| PSA 8 | $209 | +$60.20 | +$35.20 | −$64.80 |
Net = sale price − $124 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% | $566 | +$392 |
| 50% | $859 | +$685 |
| 75% | $1,151 | +$977 |
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 | $5,860 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $749 | −$5,111 | 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 | $5,860 | $749 | — | — | — |
| 9.5 | — | $350 | $449 | — | — |
| 9 | $239 | $310 | $238 | — | — |
| 8.5 | $102 | $112 | $90.00 | $70.00 | $95.93 |
| 8 | $576 | $199 | $144 | $160 | $150 |
| 7.5 | — | $181 | $168 | — | — |
| 7 | $249 | — | — | — | — |
| 6.5 | — | $31.00 | — | — | — |
| 6 | $121 | $52.69 | — | — | — |
| 5.5 | — | $55.00 | — | — | — |
| 5 | $80.82 | $40.85 | — | $72.00 | — |
| 4.5 | — | $63.00 | — | — | — |
| 4 | $89.38 | $203 | — | — | — |
| 3 | $50.10 | — | — | — | — |
| 2 | $140 | — | — | — | — |
| 1 | $206 | — | — | — | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other Expedition Base Set cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Charizard — FAQ
Is Charizard worth grading?
A PSA 10 Charizard sells for $1,444 against $124 raw: a $1,320 spread, 12× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($273) 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 Charizard worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Charizard (Expedition Base Set 40/165) sells for about $1,444 versus $124 for a raw near-mint copy — a 12× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Charizard?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $5,860, ahead of CGC 10 at $749. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Charizard 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.
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