Is Zekrom ex worth grading?
Pokémon · Black Bolt · 158/086 · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 18× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Zekrom ex sells for $73.58 against $4.14 raw: a $69.44 spread, 18× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($27.09) 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)
- $4.14
- PSA 10
- $73.58
- PSA 9
- $27.09
- Gem premium
- 18×
- 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 | $73.58 | +$44.44 | +$19.44 | −$80.56 |
| PSA 9 | $27.09 | −$2.05 | −$27.05 | −$127 |
| PSA 8 | $13.15 | −$15.99 | −$40.99 | −$141 |
Net = sale price − $4.14 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% | $38.71 | −$15.43 |
| 50% | $50.34 | −$3.80 |
| 75% | $61.96 | +$7.82 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 58%. 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 | $76.81 | best | 55/45 | 72/28 |
| PSA 10 | $73.58 | −$3.23 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $35.01 | −$41.80 | 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 Zekrom ex — FAQ
Is Zekrom ex worth grading?
A PSA 10 Zekrom ex sells for $73.58 against $4.14 raw: a $69.44 spread, 18× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($27.09) 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 Zekrom ex worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Zekrom ex (Black Bolt 158/086) sells for about $73.58 versus $4.14 for a raw near-mint copy — a 18× premium as of Oct 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Zekrom ex?
By resale value, TAG 10 leads at $76.81, ahead of PSA 10 at $73.58. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Zekrom 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 Zekrom ex break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Zekrom ex breaks even when it gems about 58% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $27.09).
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