Is Charizard ex worth grading?
Pokémon · Obsidian Flames · 125/197 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Charizard ex sells for $89.71 against $5.13 raw: a $84.58 spread, 17× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($32.95) 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)
- $5.13
- PSA 10
- $89.71
- PSA 9
- $32.95
- Gem premium
- 17×
- 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 | $89.71 | +$59.58 | +$34.58 | −$65.42 |
| PSA 9 | $32.95 | +$2.82 | −$22.18 | −$122 |
| PSA 8 | $17.42 | −$12.71 | −$37.71 | −$138 |
Net = sale price − $5.13 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% | $47.14 | −$7.99 |
| 50% | $61.33 | +$6.20 |
| 75% | $75.52 | +$20.39 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 39%. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BGS 10 | $315 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $89.71 | −$225 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| TAG 10 | $68.19 | −$247 | 55/45 | 72/28 |
| SGC 10 | $51.48 | −$264 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $38.14 | −$277 | 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 | $89.71 | $38.14 | $315 | $51.48 | $68.19 | $40.94 |
| 9.5 | — | $14.10 | $35.83 | $11.98 | — | — |
| 9 | $32.95 | $22.61 | $13.73 | $22.00 | $31.78 | $101 |
| 8.5 | $19.03 | $7.27 | $32.00 | $6.50 | $24.92 | — |
| 8 | $17.42 | $10.03 | — | — | — | $20.67 |
| 7.5 | — | $14.01 | — | — | — | — |
| 7 | $17.73 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 6.5 | — | $10.00 | — | — | — | — |
| 6 | $15.85 | — | — | — | $25.00 | — |
| 5 | — | $4.00 | — | — | — | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other Obsidian Flames cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Charizard ex — FAQ
Is Charizard ex worth grading?
A PSA 10 Charizard ex sells for $89.71 against $5.13 raw: a $84.58 spread, 17× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($32.95) 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 ex worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Charizard ex (Obsidian Flames 125/197) sells for about $89.71 versus $5.13 for a raw near-mint copy — a 17× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Charizard ex?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $315, ahead of PSA 10 at $89.71. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Charizard ex need for a BGS 10?
BGS publishes 55/45 front and 70/30 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 Charizard ex break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Charizard ex breaks even when it gems about 39% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $32.95).
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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