Is Zapdos ex worth grading?
Pokémon · Nintendo Black Star Promos · 033 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Zapdos ex sells for $2,430 against $135 raw: a $2,295 spread, 18× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($923) 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)
- $135
- PSA 10
- $2,430
- PSA 9
- $923
- Gem premium
- 18×
- 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 | $2,430 | +$2,270 | +$2,245 | +$2,145 |
| PSA 9 | $923 | +$763 | +$738 | +$638 |
| PSA 8 | $419 | +$259 | +$234 | +$134 |
Net = sale price − $135 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% | $1,300 | +$1,115 |
| 50% | $1,677 | +$1,492 |
| 75% | $2,053 | +$1,868 |
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 | $2,430 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $329 | −$2,101 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $2,430 | $329 | — | — |
| 9.5 | — | $399 | $1,500 | — |
| 9 | $923 | $260 | $390 | — |
| 8.5 | — | $176 | $412 | $100 |
| 8 | $419 | $55.00 | — | — |
| 7.5 | — | $32.02 | — | — |
| 7 | $166 | — | — | — |
| 6.5 | — | $61.00 | — | — |
| 6 | $129 | — | — | — |
| 5.5 | — | $13.00 | — | — |
| 5 | $36.74 | — | — | — |
| 4 | $68.38 | — | — | — |
| 3 | $74.95 | — | — | — |
| 2 | $33.05 | — | — | — |
| 1 | $139 | — | — | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other Nintendo Black Star Promos cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Zapdos ex — FAQ
Is Zapdos ex worth grading?
A PSA 10 Zapdos ex sells for $2,430 against $135 raw: a $2,295 spread, 18× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($923) 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 Zapdos ex worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Zapdos ex (Nintendo Black Star Promos 033) sells for about $2,430 versus $135 for a raw near-mint copy — a 18× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Zapdos ex?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $2,430, ahead of CGC 10 at $329. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Zapdos ex 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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