Is Charizard worth grading?
Pokémon · Generations · RC5/RC32 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Charizard sells for $1,603 against $59.69 raw: a $1,543 spread, 27× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($99.80) 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)
- $59.69
- PSA 10
- $1,603
- PSA 9
- $99.80
- Gem premium
- 27×
- 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 | $1,603 | +$1,518 | +$1,493 | +$1,393 |
| PSA 9 | $99.80 | +$15.11 | −$9.89 | −$110 |
| PSA 8 | $54.13 | −$30.56 | −$55.56 | −$156 |
Net = sale price − $59.69 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% | $476 | +$366 |
| 50% | $851 | +$742 |
| 75% | $1,227 | +$1,118 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 1%. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA 10 | $1,603 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $130 | −$1,474 | 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 | ACE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $1,603 | $130 | — | — | — | — |
| 9.5 | — | $86.00 | — | — | — | — |
| 9 | $99.80 | $60.84 | $150 | $15.00 | — | $50.60 |
| 8.5 | $40.13 | $47.29 | $18.04 | $14.00 | $38.21 | — |
| 8 | $54.13 | $41.11 | $17.00 | $30.00 | — | $23.32 |
| 7.5 | $26.77 | $38.73 | — | — | — | — |
| 7 | $39.58 | $24.42 | — | $30.00 | $47.91 | $40.25 |
| 6.5 | — | $19.10 | — | — | — | — |
| 6 | $27.37 | $5.53 | — | $8.00 | — | — |
| 5.5 | — | $9.99 | — | — | — | — |
| 5 | $32.63 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 4 | $6.00 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 3.5 | — | $15.00 | — | — | — | — |
| 3 | $15.49 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1 | $93.99 | — | — | — | — | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other Generations cards worth checking
Full set checklist →Grading Charizard — FAQ
Is Charizard worth grading?
A PSA 10 Charizard sells for $1,603 against $59.69 raw: a $1,543 spread, 27× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($99.80) 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 (Generations RC5/RC32) sells for about $1,603 versus $59.69 for a raw near-mint copy — a 27× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Charizard?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $1,603, ahead of CGC 10 at $130. 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.
What gem rate makes grading Charizard break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Charizard breaks even when it gems about 1% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $99.80).
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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