Is Charizard ex worth grading?
Pokémon · Obsidian Flames · 223/197 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Charizard ex sells for $721 against $94.13 raw: a $627 spread, 7.7× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($121) 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)
- $94.13
- PSA 10
- $721
- PSA 9
- $121
- Gem premium
- 7.7×
- As of
- Oct 13, 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 | $721 | +$602 | +$577 | +$477 |
| PSA 9 | $121 | +$1.43 | −$23.57 | −$124 |
| PSA 8 | $94.76 | −$24.37 | −$49.37 | −$149 |
Net = sale price − $94.13 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% | $271 | +$127 |
| 50% | $421 | +$277 |
| 75% | $571 | +$427 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 4%. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TAG 10 | $743 | best | 55/45 | 72/28 |
| PSA 10 | $721 | −$21.78 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $297 | −$446 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $284 | −$459 | 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.
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Grading Charizard ex — FAQ
Is Charizard ex worth grading?
A PSA 10 Charizard ex sells for $721 against $94.13 raw: a $627 spread, 7.7× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($121) 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 223/197) sells for about $721 versus $94.13 for a raw near-mint copy — a 7.7× premium as of Oct 13, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Charizard ex?
By resale value, TAG 10 leads at $743, ahead of PSA 10 at $721. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Charizard ex need for a TAG 10?
TAG publishes 55/45 front and 72/28 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 4% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $121).
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