Is Zapdos worth grading?
Pokémon · SM Black Star Promos · SM159 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Zapdos sells for $452 against $16.96 raw: a $435 spread, 27× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($53.83) 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)
- $16.96
- PSA 10
- $452
- PSA 9
- $53.83
- Gem premium
- 27×
- 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 | $452 | +$410 | +$385 | +$285 |
| PSA 9 | $53.83 | +$11.87 | −$13.13 | −$113 |
| PSA 8 | $28.40 | −$13.56 | −$38.56 | −$139 |
Net = sale price − $16.96 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% | $153 | +$86.34 |
| 50% | $253 | +$186 |
| 75% | $352 | +$285 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 3%. 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 | $452 | 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 | BGS | TAG |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $320 | — | — | — |
| 9 | $201 | — | — | $51.00 |
| 8.5 | — | — | $19.00 | — |
| 8 | $81.00 | $40.00 | — | — |
| 7.5 | — | $3.00 | — | — |
| 7 | $228 | — | — | — |
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 $452 against $16.96 raw: a $435 spread, 27× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($53.83) 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 SM159) sells for about $452 versus $16.96 for a raw near-mint copy — a 27× 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 3% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $53.83).
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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