Is Charizard VMAX worth grading?
Pokémon · SWSH Black Star Promos · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Charizard VMAX sells for $833 against $47.75 raw: a $785 spread, 17× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($104) 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)
- $47.75
- PSA 10
- $833
- PSA 9
- $104
- Gem premium
- 17×
- As of
- Aug 19, 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 | $833 | +$760 | +$735 | +$635 |
| PSA 9 | $104 | +$31.40 | +$6.40 | −$93.60 |
| PSA 8 | $44.75 | −$28.00 | −$53.00 | −$153 |
Net = sale price − $47.75 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% | $286 | +$189 |
| 50% | $468 | +$371 |
| 75% | $651 | +$553 |
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 | $833 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| TAG 10 | $479 | −$354 | 55/45 | 72/28 |
| CGC 10 | $227 | −$606 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $66.72 | −$766 | 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 | $833 | $227 | — | $66.72 | $479 | $403 |
| 9.5 | $70.00 | $88.91 | $195 | $33.41 | — | — |
| 9 | $104 | $63.70 | $81.89 | $23.25 | $141 | $63.82 |
| 8.5 | $48.95 | $36.56 | $20.30 | $27.24 | $49.55 | — |
| 8 | $44.75 | $38.82 | $32.72 | $18.00 | $49.99 | $29.33 |
| 7.5 | $27.00 | $23.55 | $20.32 | — | — | — |
| 7 | $50.52 | $40.29 | — | — | — | — |
| 6.5 | — | $19.50 | — | — | — | — |
| 6 | $41.85 | $18.19 | — | — | — | — |
| 5 | $31.74 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1 | $51.00 | — | — | — | — | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other SWSH Black Star Promos cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Charizard VMAX — FAQ
Is Charizard VMAX worth grading?
A PSA 10 Charizard VMAX sells for $833 against $47.75 raw: a $785 spread, 17× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($104) 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 VMAX worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Charizard VMAX (SWSH Black Star Promos) sells for about $833 versus $47.75 for a raw near-mint copy — a 17× premium as of Aug 19, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Charizard VMAX?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $833, ahead of TAG 10 at $479. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Charizard VMAX 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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