Is Zapdos worth grading?
Pokémon · SM Black Star Promos · SM145 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Zapdos sells for $107 against $12.86 raw: a $94.15 spread, 8.3× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($40.15) 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)
- $12.86
- PSA 10
- $107
- PSA 9
- $40.15
- Gem premium
- 8.3×
- 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 | $107 | +$69.15 | +$44.15 | −$55.85 |
| PSA 9 | $40.15 | +$2.29 | −$22.71 | −$123 |
| PSA 8 | $31.52 | −$6.34 | −$31.34 | −$131 |
Net = sale price − $12.86 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% | $56.86 | −$6.00 |
| 50% | $73.58 | +$10.72 |
| 75% | $90.30 | +$27.44 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 34%. 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 | $107 | best | 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 | $107 | — |
| 9 | $40.15 | — |
| 8 | $31.52 | $5.50 |
| 6 | $7.00 | — |
| 3 | $8.00 | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other SM Black Star Promos cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Zapdos — FAQ
Is Zapdos worth grading?
A PSA 10 Zapdos sells for $107 against $12.86 raw: a $94.15 spread, 8.3× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($40.15) 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 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Zapdos (SM Black Star Promos SM145) sells for about $107 versus $12.86 for a raw near-mint copy — a 8.3× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
What centering does Zapdos 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 Zapdos break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Zapdos breaks even when it gems about 34% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $40.15).
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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