Is Zapdos worth grading?
Pokémon · Evolutions · 42/108 · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 48× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Zapdos sells for $308 against $6.39 raw: a $302 spread, 48× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($23.50) 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)
- $6.39
- PSA 10
- $308
- PSA 9
- $23.50
- Gem premium
- 48×
- 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 | $308 | +$277 | +$252 | +$152 |
| PSA 9 | $23.50 | −$7.89 | −$32.89 | −$133 |
| PSA 8 | $17.90 | −$13.49 | −$38.49 | −$138 |
Net = sale price − $6.39 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% | $94.69 | +$38.30 |
| 50% | $166 | +$110 |
| 75% | $237 | +$181 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 12%. 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 | $350 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $315 | −$34.93 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $71.86 | −$278 | 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 | ACE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $315 | $71.86 | $350 | — | — |
| 9.5 | — | $24.74 | $30.00 | $20.00 | — |
| 9 | $28.08 | $18.99 | $36.00 | $11.00 | $23.94 |
| 8.5 | $23.50 | $11.45 | — | — | — |
| 8 | $22.66 | $11.00 | $9.99 | $12.00 | $36.18 |
| 7.5 | — | $6.00 | — | — | — |
| 7 | $15.51 | $3.00 | — | — | — |
| 6.5 | — | $7.00 | — | — | — |
| 6 | $10.02 | — | — | — | — |
| 5 | $18.00 | — | — | — | — |
| 4.5 | — | $9.35 | — | — | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
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Grading Zapdos — FAQ
Is Zapdos worth grading?
A PSA 10 Zapdos sells for $308 against $6.39 raw: a $302 spread, 48× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($23.50) 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 Zapdos worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Zapdos (Evolutions 42/108) sells for about $308 versus $6.39 for a raw near-mint copy — a 48× premium as of Aug 19, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Zapdos?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $350, ahead of PSA 10 at $315. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Zapdos 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 Zapdos break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Zapdos breaks even when it gems about 12% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $23.50).
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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