Is Zekrom ex worth grading?
Pokémon · Black Bolt · 166/086 · full price guide →
Worth grading only if it gems
A PSA 10 Zekrom ex brings $512 versus $288 raw — a $224 spread that covers an economy-tier ~$25 grading fee. A PSA 9 ($262) sells for less than raw, so anything short of a 10 loses money.
- Raw (NM)
- $288
- PSA 10
- $512
- PSA 9
- $262
- Gem premium
- 1.8×
- As of
- Aug 10, 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 | $512 | +$199 | +$174 | +$73.70 |
| PSA 9 | $262 | −$51.16 | −$76.16 | −$176 |
| PSA 8 | $207 | −$106 | −$131 | −$231 |
Net = sale price − $288 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% | $324 | −$13.69 |
| 50% | $387 | +$48.77 |
| 75% | $449 | +$111 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 30%. 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 | $693 | best | 55/45 | 72/28 |
| BGS 10 | $663 | −$29.93 | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $512 | −$181 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $318 | −$375 | 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 | TAG | ACE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $512 | $318 | $663 | $693 | $272 |
| 9.5 | — | $236 | $401 | — | — |
| 9 | $262 | $171 | $173 | $281 | $235 |
| 8.5 | — | $197 | — | — | — |
| 8 | $207 | $210 | — | — | — |
| 7 | $220 | — | — | — | — |
| 6 | $160 | — | — | — | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other Black Bolt cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Zekrom ex — FAQ
Is Zekrom ex worth grading?
A PSA 10 Zekrom ex brings $512 versus $288 raw — a $224 spread that covers an economy-tier ~$25 grading fee. A PSA 9 ($262) sells for less than raw, so anything short of a 10 loses money.
How much is a PSA 10 Zekrom ex worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Zekrom ex (Black Bolt 166/086) sells for about $512 versus $288 for a raw near-mint copy — a 1.8× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Zekrom ex?
By resale value, TAG 10 leads at $693, ahead of BGS 10 at $663. 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 30% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $262).
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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