Is Bulbasaur worth grading?
Pokémon · POP Series 2 · 12/17 · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 5.4× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Bulbasaur sells for $255 against $47.20 raw: a $208 spread, 5.4× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($30.41) sells for less than raw, so anything short of a 10 loses money. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $47.20
- PSA 10
- $255
- PSA 9
- $30.41
- Gem premium
- 5.4×
- 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 | $255 | +$183 | +$158 | +$58.18 |
| PSA 9 | $30.41 | −$41.79 | −$66.79 | −$167 |
| PSA 8 | $70.36 | −$1.84 | −$26.84 | −$127 |
Net = sale price − $47.20 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% | $86.65 | −$10.55 |
| 50% | $143 | +$45.70 |
| 75% | $199 | +$102 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 30%. 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 | $255 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $71.18 | −$184 | 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | $255 | $71.18 |
| 9 | $30.41 | $51.63 |
| 8.5 | $49.61 | — |
| 8 | $70.36 | $17.00 |
| 7 | $69.79 | — |
| 5 | $7.50 | — |
| 2 | $20.00 | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other POP Series 2 cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Bulbasaur — FAQ
Is Bulbasaur worth grading?
A PSA 10 Bulbasaur sells for $255 against $47.20 raw: a $208 spread, 5.4× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($30.41) sells for less than raw, so anything short of a 10 loses money. 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 (POP Series 2 12/17) sells for about $255 versus $47.20 for a raw near-mint copy — a 5.4× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Bulbasaur?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $255, ahead of CGC 10 at $71.18. 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.
What gem rate makes grading Bulbasaur break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Bulbasaur breaks even when it gems about 30% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $30.41).
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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