Is Bulbasaur worth grading?
Pokémon · Mega Evolution Black Star Promos · 037 · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 4.7× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Bulbasaur sells for $134 against $28.66 raw: a $106 spread, 4.7× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($33.33) 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)
- $28.66
- PSA 10
- $134
- PSA 9
- $33.33
- Gem premium
- 4.7×
- 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 | $134 | +$80.71 | +$55.71 | −$44.29 |
| PSA 9 | $33.33 | −$20.33 | −$45.33 | −$145 |
| PSA 8 | $32.78 | −$20.88 | −$45.88 | −$146 |
Net = sale price − $28.66 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% | $58.59 | −$20.07 |
| 50% | $83.85 | +$5.19 |
| 75% | $109 | +$30.45 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 45%. 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 | $395 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $134 | −$261 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| TAG 10 | $111 | −$285 | 55/45 | 72/28 |
| CGC 10 | $55.47 | −$340 | 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.
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Grading Bulbasaur — FAQ
Is Bulbasaur worth grading?
A PSA 10 Bulbasaur sells for $134 against $28.66 raw: a $106 spread, 4.7× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($33.33) 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 Bulbasaur worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Bulbasaur (Mega Evolution Black Star Promos 037) sells for about $134 versus $28.66 for a raw near-mint copy — a 4.7× premium as of Aug 18, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Bulbasaur?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $395, ahead of PSA 10 at $134. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Bulbasaur 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 Bulbasaur break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Bulbasaur breaks even when it gems about 45% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $33.33).
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