Is Bulbasaur worth grading?
Pokémon · Expedition Base Set · 94/165 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Bulbasaur sells for $641 against $42.81 raw: a $598 spread, 15× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($137) 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)
- $42.81
- PSA 10
- $641
- PSA 9
- $137
- Gem premium
- 15×
- As of
- Aug 18, 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 | $641 | +$573 | +$548 | +$448 |
| PSA 9 | $137 | +$68.75 | +$43.75 | −$56.25 |
| PSA 8 | $72.77 | +$4.96 | −$20.04 | −$120 |
Net = sale price − $42.81 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% | $263 | +$170 |
| 50% | $389 | +$296 |
| 75% | $515 | +$422 |
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 | $641 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $148 | −$493 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $85.33 | −$555 | 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 | $140 | $148 | — | $85.33 | — |
| 9.5 | — | $115 | $250 | — | — |
| 9 | $1,002 | $50.46 | $32.00 | $17.75 | — |
| 8.5 | — | $377 | — | — | — |
| 8 | $103 | $250 | — | — | — |
| 7.5 | — | $19.50 | $173 | — | — |
| 7 | $49.59 | — | — | — | $188 |
| 6 | $36.90 | $20.00 | — | — | — |
| 5 | $275 | $57.60 | — | — | — |
| 4 | $24.99 | — | — | — | — |
| 2 | $47.22 | — | — | — | — |
| 1 | $100 | — | — | — | — |
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 Bulbasaur — FAQ
Is Bulbasaur worth grading?
A PSA 10 Bulbasaur sells for $641 against $42.81 raw: a $598 spread, 15× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($137) 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 Bulbasaur worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Bulbasaur (Expedition Base Set 94/165) sells for about $641 versus $42.81 for a raw near-mint copy — a 15× premium as of Aug 18, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Bulbasaur?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $641, ahead of CGC 10 at $148. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Bulbasaur 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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