Is Zekrom ex worth grading?
Pokémon · Black Bolt · 172/086 · full price guide →
Worth grading only if it gems
A PSA 10 Zekrom ex brings $1,458 versus $604 raw — a $854 spread that covers an economy-tier ~$25 grading fee. A PSA 9 ($559) sells for less than raw, so anything short of a 10 loses money.
- Raw (NM)
- $604
- PSA 10
- $1,458
- PSA 9
- $559
- Gem premium
- 2.4×
- 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 | $1,458 | +$829 | +$804 | +$704 |
| PSA 9 | $559 | −$69.84 | −$94.84 | −$195 |
| PSA 8 | $531 | −$97.97 | −$123 | −$223 |
Net = sale price − $604 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% | $784 | +$130 |
| 50% | $1,009 | +$355 |
| 75% | $1,234 | +$579 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 11%. 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 | $3,142 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| TAG 10 | $1,488 | −$1,654 | 55/45 | 72/28 |
| PSA 10 | $1,458 | −$1,684 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $900 | −$2,242 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $647 | −$2,495 | 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 | $1,458 | $647 | $3,142 | $900 | $1,488 | $836 |
| 9.5 | — | $461 | $731 | $700 | — | — |
| 9 | $559 | $459 | $346 | $435 | $570 | $446 |
| 8.5 | — | $415 | — | — | — | — |
| 8 | $531 | $466 | — | — | — | $417 |
| 7.5 | — | $348 | — | — | — | — |
| 7 | $497 | — | — | — | $308 | — |
| 6 | $305 | — | — | — | — | — |
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 $1,458 versus $604 raw — a $854 spread that covers an economy-tier ~$25 grading fee. A PSA 9 ($559) 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 172/086) sells for about $1,458 versus $604 for a raw near-mint copy — a 2.4× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Zekrom ex?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $3,142, ahead of TAG 10 at $1,488. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Zekrom ex 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 Zekrom ex break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Zekrom ex breaks even when it gems about 11% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $559).
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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