Charizard grading: keep species and printings separate
A Pikachu wearing a Charizard poncho is a different card from Charizard. This review uses actual Charizard records and keeps Shining, reverse-holo and modern ex printings distinct. Compare each raw purchase with sold slabs of that exact printing.
What to verify for this topic
An expensive vintage raw card can consume the cash needed for several modern submissions. Set a total purchase-and-grading budget before sorting by conditional returns. Verify service value limits and upcharges; a low standardized fee is useful for comparison but may be unavailable for the submitted card.
Dated reference examples
Captured September 5, 2026. These are database reference prices, not independently verified recent sold comparables or buy recommendations. Each linked record identifies its set and source.
Shining Charizard #107 — Pokemon Neo Destiny
Mega Charizard X ex #13 — Pokemon Japanese Inferno X
Mega Charizard X ex #223 — Pokemon Japanese Mega Dream EX
Charizard [National Championships] #100 — Pokemon Dragon
| Card | Raw | PSA 10 | Gem rate | Expected net profit | PSA 10 net profit | PSA 10 ROI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shining Charizard #107 | $1368.25 | $21350.00 | 5.1% | $1733.01 | $17181.25 | 1233.2% |
| Mega Charizard X ex #13 | $3.99 | $40.00 | 81.1% | $1.94 | $5.81 | 20.0% |
| Mega Charizard X ex #223 | $32.31 | $91.50 | 90.6% | $18.01 | $22.30 | 38.9% |
| Charizard National Championships #100 | $2107.31 | $12810.00 | 20.0% | $1551.76 | $9012.39 | 422.7% |
Read the model correctly
The comparison uses a $25 PSA Value Bulk model fee and a 13% selling fee. Verify current service eligibility, declared-value limits and possible upcharges before submitting. The table excludes shipping, tax, insurance, supplies and time costs.
Expected net profit weights resale outcomes across the recorded grade distribution, applies the selling fee, and deducts raw and grading costs once. PSA 10 net profit assumes the card receives PSA 10. PSA 10 ROI divides that conditional profit by raw plus grading cost. It is not expected ROI.
Historical population shares are assumptions for this calculation, not personal grading probabilities. Missing grade-price references may use the engine's raw-price fallback; unmodeled outcomes and sparse records can materially change the result. Inspect the current card detail and replace reference inputs with your actual costs and verified sold evidence.
Incomplete outcome pricing in this snapshot: Shining Charizard #107; Mega Charizard X ex #13; Mega Charizard X ex #223; Charizard [National Championships] #100. Treat their expected results as provisional.
Build a repeatable decision
Open a card record, check the exact variant and source, adjust the purchase assumptions, and save the analysis to your account. Revisit it before buying or submitting. The methodology explains the model; Pro describes the available research features. A saved analysis records a decision assumption, not a realized return.
Correction — September 5, 2026: Removed a Poncho-Wearing Pikachu from the Charizard comparison, contradictory budget advice, unsupported price floors and the claim that population rates forecast individual success. The URL is preserved so earlier links lead to the correction. The current table replaces the historical figures with a dated, explicitly labeled model snapshot.