Is Charizard worth grading?
Pokémon · Expedition Base Set · 6/165 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Charizard sells for $1,971 against $345 raw: a $1,626 spread, 5.7× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($3,988) 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)
- $345
- PSA 10
- $1,971
- PSA 9
- $3,988
- Gem premium
- 5.7×
- 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 | $1,971 | +$1,601 | +$1,576 | +$1,476 |
| PSA 9 | $3,988 | +$3,618 | +$3,593 | +$3,493 |
| PSA 8 | $1,945 | +$1,575 | +$1,550 | +$1,450 |
Net = sale price − $345 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% | $3,484 | +$3,089 |
| 50% | $2,979 | +$2,584 |
| 75% | $2,475 | +$2,080 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
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 | $5,327 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| BGS 10 | $3,876 | −$1,451 | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| CGC 10 | $3,127 | −$2,200 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| TAG 10 | $455 | −$4,872 | 55/45 | 72/28 |
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 | $5,327 | $832 | $3,876 | — | $455 |
| 9.5 | — | $399 | $593 | — | — |
| 9 | $999 | $488 | $670 | — | — |
| 8.5 | — | $242 | $1,545 | — | — |
| 8 | $510 | $251 | $1,101 | $365 | $1,175 |
| 7.5 | — | $144 | $985 | — | — |
| 7 | $414 | $578 | $428 | $748 | — |
| 6.5 | — | $105 | — | — | — |
| 6 | $133 | $600 | — | — | — |
| 5.5 | — | $178 | $495 | — | — |
| 5 | $179 | $550 | — | — | — |
| 4.5 | — | $123 | $377 | — | — |
| 4 | $163 | — | — | — | — |
| 3 | $98.68 | $288 | — | $220 | — |
| 2.5 | — | $298 | — | — | — |
| 2 | $54.25 | — | — | $110 | — |
| 1 | $232 | — | — | — | — |
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 $1,971 against $345 raw: a $1,626 spread, 5.7× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($3,988) 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 6/165) sells for about $1,971 versus $345 for a raw near-mint copy — a 5.7× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Charizard?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $5,327, ahead of BGS 10 at $3,876. 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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