Is Charizard worth grading?
Pokémon · SM Black Star Promos · SM226 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Charizard sells for $1,026 against $69.80 raw: a $956 spread, 15× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($253) 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)
- $69.80
- PSA 10
- $1,026
- PSA 9
- $253
- Gem premium
- 15×
- 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 | $1,026 | +$931 | +$906 | +$806 |
| PSA 9 | $253 | +$158 | +$133 | +$33.49 |
| PSA 8 | $102 | +$6.84 | −$18.16 | −$118 |
Net = sale price − $69.80 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% | $446 | +$327 |
| 50% | $640 | +$520 |
| 75% | $833 | +$713 |
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 | $1,026 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $180 | −$846 | 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 | TAG | ACE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $1,026 | $180 | — | — | — | — |
| 9 | $253 | $71.95 | — | $99.70 | — | — |
| 8.5 | $29.00 | $27.89 | $64.00 | — | $45.00 | — |
| 8 | $102 | $24.00 | — | $26.00 | — | — |
| 7.5 | — | $68.24 | — | — | — | — |
| 7 | $66.17 | — | — | — | — | $60.46 |
| 6.5 | — | $52.77 | — | — | — | — |
| 6 | $69.89 | $13.00 | — | $37.00 | — | $40.31 |
| 5 | $46.56 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 4.5 | — | $13.00 | — | — | — | — |
| 2 | $72.90 | — | — | — | — | — |
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
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Grading Charizard — FAQ
Is Charizard worth grading?
A PSA 10 Charizard sells for $1,026 against $69.80 raw: a $956 spread, 15× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($253) 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 Charizard worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Charizard (SM Black Star Promos SM226) sells for about $1,026 versus $69.80 for a raw near-mint copy — a 15× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Charizard?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $1,026, ahead of CGC 10 at $180. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Charizard 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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