Is Charmander worth grading?
Pokémon · Mega Evolution Black Star Promos · 038 · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 3.8× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Charmander sells for $100 against $26.64 raw: a $73.43 spread, 3.8× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($34.14) 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)
- $26.64
- PSA 10
- $100
- PSA 9
- $34.14
- Gem premium
- 3.8×
- As of
- Sep 29, 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 | $100 | +$48.43 | +$23.43 | −$76.57 |
| PSA 9 | $34.14 | −$17.50 | −$42.50 | −$143 |
| PSA 8 | $27.74 | −$23.90 | −$48.90 | −$149 |
Net = sale price − $26.64 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% | $50.62 | −$26.02 |
| 50% | $67.10 | −$9.54 |
| 75% | $83.59 | +$6.95 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 64%. 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 | $240 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| TAG 10 | $128 | −$112 | 55/45 | 72/28 |
| PSA 10 | $100 | −$140 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $47.75 | −$192 | 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 Charmander — FAQ
Is Charmander worth grading?
A PSA 10 Charmander sells for $100 against $26.64 raw: a $73.43 spread, 3.8× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($34.14) 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 Charmander worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Charmander (Mega Evolution Black Star Promos 038) sells for about $100 versus $26.64 for a raw near-mint copy — a 3.8× premium as of Sep 29, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Charmander?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $240, ahead of TAG 10 at $128. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Charmander 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 Charmander break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Charmander breaks even when it gems about 64% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $34.14).
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