Is Zekrom ex worth grading?
Pokémon · Black Bolt · 034/086 · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 90× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Zekrom ex sells for $58.52 against $0.65 raw: a $57.87 spread, 90× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($19.47) 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)
- $0.65
- PSA 10
- $58.52
- PSA 9
- $19.47
- Gem premium
- 90×
- 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 | $58.52 | +$32.87 | +$7.87 | −$92.13 |
| PSA 9 | $19.47 | −$6.18 | −$31.18 | −$131 |
| PSA 8 | $12.07 | −$13.58 | −$38.58 | −$139 |
Net = sale price − $0.65 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% | $29.23 | −$21.42 |
| 50% | $39.00 | −$11.65 |
| 75% | $48.76 | −$1.89 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 80%. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA 10 | $58.52 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| TAG 10 | $26.44 | −$32.08 | 55/45 | 72/28 |
| CGC 10 | $14.82 | −$43.70 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $5.50 | −$53.02 | 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 $58.52 against $0.65 raw: a $57.87 spread, 90× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($19.47) 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 034/086) sells for about $58.52 versus $0.65 for a raw near-mint copy — a 90× premium as of Oct 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Zekrom ex?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $58.52, ahead of TAG 10 at $26.44. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Zekrom ex 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.
What gem rate makes grading Zekrom ex break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Zekrom ex breaks even when it gems about 80% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $19.47).
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