Is Bulbasaur worth grading?
Pokémon · Stellar Crown · 143/142 · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 3.1× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Bulbasaur sells for $300 against $96.15 raw: a $204 spread, 3.1× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($99.03) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $96.15
- PSA 10
- $300
- PSA 9
- $99.03
- Gem premium
- 3.1×
- As of
- Oct 4, 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 | $300 | +$179 | +$154 | +$54.07 |
| PSA 9 | $99.03 | −$22.12 | −$47.12 | −$147 |
| PSA 8 | $107 | −$14.20 | −$39.20 | −$139 |
Net = sale price − $96.15 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% | $149 | +$3.18 |
| 50% | $200 | +$53.47 |
| 75% | $250 | +$104 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 23%. 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 | $317 | best | 55/45 | 72/28 |
| PSA 10 | $300 | −$16.32 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $135 | −$182 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $131 | −$186 | 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 Bulbasaur — FAQ
Is Bulbasaur worth grading?
A PSA 10 Bulbasaur sells for $300 against $96.15 raw: a $204 spread, 3.1× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($99.03) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
How much is a PSA 10 Bulbasaur worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Bulbasaur (Stellar Crown 143/142) sells for about $300 versus $96.15 for a raw near-mint copy — a 3.1× premium as of Oct 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Bulbasaur?
By resale value, TAG 10 leads at $317, ahead of PSA 10 at $300. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Bulbasaur 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 Bulbasaur break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Bulbasaur breaks even when it gems about 23% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $99.03).
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