Pokémon Graded Card Report: PSA 10 Premiums & Grading ROI — Week of October 12, 2026

Grading pays in some clear, concrete instances and not in others—so check the numbers for the specific card. High-ticket comparisons show the potential premium: Mewtwo ☆ from Holon Phantoms has a raw price of $9,200 and a PSA 10 price of $89,909.93; Umbreon from Skyridge has a raw price of $4,999.99 and a PSA 10 price of $74,845.47. But PSA 10 does not universally add value: グレイシア from 夜明けの疾走 has a raw price of $4,000 and a PSA 10 price of $2,768.26, an instance where a PSA 10 sits below the raw price. Short-term movers illustrate risk and opportunity: Alakazam 1/110 (Rare Holo, Legendary Collection) shows a 7-day change of up 257.9% with a raw price at $849.99, while Scizor ex 108/115 (Rare Holo EX, Unseen Forces) is down 84.7% at $45.99 and Lugia 149/147 (Rare Secret, Aquapolis) is down 64.3% at $500. Over 30 days, Alakazam is also up 257.9% from $237.50 to $849.99, and Giratina ◇ 58/156 (Rare Prism Star, Ultra Prism) is up 190.9% to $71.03 from $24.42. For sellers: when a card’s PSA 10 market price is clearly above its raw price by more than the $25 fee (and associated costs), submitting for PSA 10 can improve realized value; for buyers and graders, verify that comparable PSA 10 sales exist and remember some PSA 10s can trade below raw, so grading is not an automatic profit enhancer.

Start with the headline numbers for grading economics this week. Across 9,067 cards that have both raw and PSA 10 prices, the median PSA 10 price divided by raw price is 12.01. Under the grading fee assumption of $25, that ratio summarizes how much PSA 10 generally outvalues an ungraded near‑mint copy: the typical PSA 10 is 12.01 times the market value of the raw card. If you hold raw cards that are candidates for grading, treat 12.01× as the middle of the distribution rather than a guarantee for any individual submission.

Collectors frequently ask how much value survives a single notch down to PSA 9. Median PSA 9 price as a share of PSA 10 price is 24.0%. Put plainly: at the median, a PSA 9 retains 24.0% of the PSA 10 price. That is a wide gap between PSA 9 and PSA 10 on the median card, and it frames the decision to submit a card specifically when you are seeking a PSA 10 outcome rather than any graded result.

Comparing different grading companies on the same median footing is important for sellers who consider alternative grading services. Median CGC 10 price as a share of PSA 10 price is 29.0%, while median BGS 10 price as a share of PSA 10 price is 136.0%. Those shares mean that, on the median card, CGC 10s sit at 29.0% of PSA 10 value and BGS 10s sit at 136.0% of PSA 10 value. Remember these are median relationships and describe relative pricing across the universe of cards with both raw and PSA 10 prices.

If you want concrete examples of extreme premiums for PSA 10, the top premiums list shows cards where the PSA 10 multiple over raw is the largest. Doduo from Legendary Collection (71/110) has a raw price of $102.05 and a PSA 10 price of $6,118.96, with PSA 10 price divided by raw price equal to 60. Pikachu from Legendary Treasures (RC7/RC25) has a raw price of $97.22 and a PSA 10 price of $5,820.87, with a multiple of 59.9. Those two highlight how certain individual cards and printings can diverge dramatically from the median 12.01× figure.

The remainder of the top premiums list continues to show similarly large multiples on a diverse set of sets and eras. Tyranitar from Team Up (85/181) has a raw price of $5.10 and a PSA 10 price of $305.09, a multiple of 59.8. Electabuzz from Neo Genesis (33/111) has a raw price of $5.68 and a PSA 10 price of $339.46, also a multiple of 59.8. Gyarados from Dragons Exalted (24/124) at $25.03 raw and $1,493.50 PSA 10 sits at 59.7×, and other entries include Beldum from Hidden Legends, Larvitar from Unseen Forces, Sabrina's Slowbro from Gym Heroes, Machoke from Legend Maker, Ivysaur from Crystal Guardians, Xerneas‑EX from XY Black Star Promos, and Rhyhorn from Emerald with multiples in the high 50s.

What matters to a seller or grader is not only the premium but the net upside after paying to grade. Use the provided PSA 10 price minus raw price minus grading fee numbers to judge the potential payout assuming the card actually grades a 10. At the top of that list, Lugia ex from Unseen Forces (105/115) shows a raw price of $2,500, PSA 9 price $10,599.71, and PSA 10 price $114,870.43; PSA 10 price minus raw price minus grading fee is $112,345.43. That is the single largest explicit upside number in the provided "worth grading" list when the grading outcome is a 10.

Other cards with large upside after the assumed $25 grading fee include Mewtwo ☆ from Holon Phantoms (103/110) with raw $9,200, PSA 9 price $18,803.82, PSA 10 price $89,909.93 and PSA 10 price minus raw price minus grading fee $80,684.93; Umbreon from Skyridge (H30/H32) with raw $4,999.99, PSA 9 price $10,185, PSA 10 price $74,845.47 and net upside $69,820.48; and Flareon ☆ from Power Keepers (100/108) with raw $2,000, PSA 9 price $8,559.51, PSA 10 price $53,143.32 and net upside $51,118.32. All of these net upside figures are explicit and assume the card grades a PSA 10.

The list of additional worthwhile grading candidates continues through cards with sizable, stated net returns: Nidoking from Aquapolis (150/147) shows raw $980, PSA 9 price $4,290.84, PSA 10 price $48,650.37 and net upside $47,645.37; Pikachu from Pokémon Rumble (7/16) shows raw $899.99, PSA 9 price $6,574.15, PSA 10 price $47,650.86 and net upside $46,725.87; Milotic ex from Emerald (96/106) shows raw $799.99, PSA 9 price $2,631.77, PSA 10 price $43,489.08 and net upside $42,664.09. Each of these net upside numbers is PSA 10 price minus raw price minus the $25 grading fee assumption and therefore depends on achieving a PSA 10.

Finally, there are clear examples where grading does not pay under the $25 fee assumption because the PSA 10 price is below or not sufficiently above the raw price. The list labeled "not worth grading" shows multiple examples with negative net upside after the grading fee. For example, ラッキー from 拡張シート1 (No.113) has a raw price of $5,000 and a PSA 10 price of $4,617.44, yielding PSA 10 price minus raw price minus grading fee of -$407.56. ゲンガー from 時空の創造 (DPBP#102) has raw $4,000 and PSA 10 $3,940.83, net -$84.17. カモネギ from ソウルシルバーコレクション (055/070) has raw $4,000 and PSA 10 $3,650, net -$375. Other negatives include グレイシア from 夜明けの疾走 with net -$1,256.74, Mewtwo from Legendary Collection (29/110) with raw $3,300 and net -$1,352.66, Karen's Technical Machine 01 with net -$829.68, コダック from ロケット団 with net -$1,525.13, and レジスチル from PCG Promos with net -$75.01. These explicit net figures show that submitting those raw cards with the expectation of a PSA 10 would reduce value by the amounts shown unless you specifically need a PSA 10 for other reasons.

To summarize the practical takeaways for collectors, sellers and graders: median relationships set the baseline—median PSA 10 price divided by raw price is 12.01, median PSA 9 price is 24.0% of PSA 10, median CGC 10 is 29.0% of PSA 10, and median BGS 10 is 136.0% of PSA 10. The top premiums list demonstrates how individual cards can meaningfully outperform the median multiple. The "worth grading" list provides explicit PSA 10 price minus raw price minus grading fee outcomes that represent potential upside only if the card actually grades a PSA 10. The "not worth grading" list shows cases where that arithmetic is negative. If you hold cards on either list, use the precise numbers here to weigh the likelihood you will receive a PSA 10 against these stated monetary outcomes; every net upside and downside shown above is conditional on achieving a PSA 10 and already accounts for the $25 grading fee assumption.

Collectors and sellers looking at the top of the raw market will see a mix of veteran-era treasures and select modern rares occupying the highest price points. The single highest raw valuation in this list is Mewtwo ☆ from Holon Phantoms at $9,200 with a PSA 10 price of $89,909.93; that sits above an Umbreon from Skyridge at $4,999.99 (PSA 10 $74,845.47). Skyridge appears again with Celebi 145/144 at $3,999.99 (PSA 10 $29,297.72) and Gengar 10/144 at $1,599.88 (PSA 10 $11,529.25), so Skyridge cards are represented multiple times among the most valuable raw listings. Neo Destiny’s Shining Charizard 107/105 is also a prominent high-value entry at $3,998.99 with a PSA 10 price of $24,285.41. Listings from older Wizards-era sets and early Pokémon TCG eras show up alongside promotional and modern entries: Lugia ex 105/115 from Unseen Forces is $2,500 (PSA 10 $114,870.43), Rocket's Mewtwo from Best of Game is $2,400 (PSA 10 $35,339.86), and Kyogre ☆ 112/113 from Delta Species is listed at $2,100.98 (PSA 10 $156,000). That grouping illustrates that both vintage holo-ex and rare promo cards are among collectors’ highest raw valuations on the market.

Several promotional and region-specific cards are notable for strong PSA 10 valuations relative to their raw prices. Mudkip from the Poké Card Creator Pack is priced raw at $1,710 with a PSA 10 of $25,100.ポッチャマ 074/DP-P from Diamond & Pearl Promos is $4,000 raw with a PSA 10 of $25,800. Rocket-era No.007 ゼニガメ from ロケット団 is $4,000 raw with a PSA 10 of $9,476.98, while コダック No.054 from ロケット団 is $2,000 raw with a PSA 10 of $499.87. These entries underline that certain promos and region-specific runs can carry outsized PSA 10 premiums compared with their raw valuations, and that the market still assigns distinct value lines to promo numbering and regional printings.

Movers on the 30-day window with reliable change figures show a mix of upward momentum and modest pullbacks. Gengar & Mimikyu-GX 165/181 from Team Up is up 16.8% over 30 days and sits at $2,119.05 raw with a PSA 10 price of $7,908.98. Lucky Stadium 41 from Wizards Black Star Promos is up 26.7% and priced raw at $1,700 with a PSA 10 of $7,348.31. Gengar 10/144 from Skyridge is up 33.4% and priced raw at $1,599.88 with PSA 10 $11,529.25. On the downside, Latias & Latios-GX 170/181 from Team Up is down 8.3% at $3,916.85 raw (PSA 10 $15,255.39), and Umbreon VMAX 215/203 from Evolving Skies is down 4.3% at $2,267.62 raw (PSA 10 $3,901.77). For collectors chasing momentum, those percent changes give a short-term signal about which specific printings have shifted; for sellers they indicate where price realizations may be tightening or loosening within the highest-valued raw cohort.

When evaluating whether to submit a card for grading, compare the card’s raw price and its PSA 10 listing alongside the $25 grading fee assumption. High-PSA comparators in this collection include Kyogre ☆ 112/113 (PSA 10 $156,000), Lugia ex 105/115 (PSA 10 $114,870.43), and Flareon ☆ 100/108 from Power Keepers (PSA 10 $53,143.32). Other cards show meaningful but lower PSA 10 ceilings: Mew ☆ δ 101/101 from Dragon Frontiers is $3,500 raw with a PSA 10 of $13,200.41; Mewtwo 29/110 from Legendary Collection is $3,300 raw with a PSA 10 of $1,972.34; and Latias & Latios-GX 170/181 from Team Up is $3,916.85 raw with a PSA 10 of $15,255.39. If you hold any of these specific printings, lay the PSA 10 price next to your raw valuation and the $25 fee to weigh the grading decision. This list also contains cards whose PSA 10 valuations sit closer to the raw market — for example, ゼニガメ No.007 (ロケット団) raw $4,000 versus PSA 10 $9,476.98 and ゲンガー DPBP#102 (時空の創造) raw $4,000 versus PSA 10 $3,940.83 — so grading outcomes will vary greatly by title and printing.

For buyers and sellers active at the top end of the raw market, the composition here should guide strategy: early and Wizards-era sets such as Skyridge, Neo Destiny and Unseen Forces are represented heavily among the highest raw valuations, alongside select promos and modern GX/VMAX entries. Specific high-dollar comparators you can reference directly include Mewtwo ☆ 103/110 Holon Phantoms at $9,200 (PSA 10 $89,909.93), Umbreon H30/H32 Skyridge at $4,999.99 (PSA 10 $74,845.47), Shining Charizard 107/105 Neo Destiny at $3,998.99 (PSA 10 $24,285.41), and Lugia ex 105/115 Unseen Forces at $2,500 (PSA 10 $114,870.43). If you plan to list, consider those PSA 10 ceilings and the $25 grading fee when setting reserves or buy-it-now prices; if you are acquiring, pay attention to the recent movers — Gengar & Mimikyu-GX (up 16.8%), Lucky Stadium (up 26.7%), and Gengar 10/144 (up 33.4%) — as they have shown identifiable short-term increases that may affect competition and asking prices. These named printings and their PSA 10 benchmarks should be the immediate reference points for decisions about grading, listing, or targeted purchases at the very top of the raw card market.

The top sets by total raw value this week are led by Skyridge with a total raw value of $28,994, followed by Legendary Collection at $24,586 and Holon Phantoms at $17,424. Skyridge lists 157 priced cards and features Umbreon as its top card at a raw price of $4,999.99. Legendary Collection lists 96 priced cards and features Mewtwo as its top card at a raw price of $3,300. Holon Phantoms lists 107 priced cards with Mewtwo ☆ as its top card at a raw price of $9,200. Aquapolis ($17,275 total raw value, Houndoom top card $1,571.99, 173 priced cards) sits very close to Holon Phantoms in total raw value. These four sets occupy the highest positions by total raw value and pair relatively high top-card raw prices with mid-to-high priced medians, suggesting they concentrate a significant portion of set-level value in a handful of high-ticket cards.

When we rank by median card price instead of total raw value, different leaders emerge. 拡張シート2 has the highest median card price at $400 with 11 priced cards and カブト as its top card at a raw price of $2,500, while ロケット団 has a median card price of $300 with 18 priced cards and ゼニガメ at $4,000 as the top card. Sword & Shield Promos shows a median card price of $150 across 62 priced cards with ヨクバリスV as its top card at $300, and several Japanese or promo-led sets cluster at higher medians: 時空の創造 median $200 (40 priced cards, ゲンガー top $4,000), Scarlet & Violet Promos median $100 (76 priced cards, モンスターボール top $250), and 超爆インパクト median $100 (71 priced cards, ドーブル top $350). By median price, smaller or promo-heavy sets rise to the top even when their total raw value is below the largest legacy sets.

Median 30-day change gives us a read on short-term momentum. Call of Legends shows the largest positive median 30-day change at 4.9% with a median card price of $11.20 and Rayquaza as its top card at $1,013.27 across 105 priced cards. Team Up has a median 30-day change of 3.4% with a median card price of $0.50 and Latias & Latios-GX as its top card at $3,916.85 across 197 priced cards. XY Black Star Promos posts a 3.3% median 30-day change with a median card price of $19.25 and Pikachu-EX as its top card at $493.11, among 213 priced cards. Crystal Guardians shows a 2.9% median 30-day change with Celebi ☆ top card at $950 and 100 priced cards. FireRed & LeafGreen is up 2.5% median with Gengar ex at $1,399.99 across 114 priced cards. Deoxys is up 2.0% median, Neo Destiny is up 1.1% median, Skyridge is up 0.7% median, and a handful of additional sets record smaller positive medians. Evolving Skies has a negative median 30-day change of -0.2% with Umbreon VMAX as its top card at $2,267.62 and 237 priced cards.

Which sets are strengthening? Using median 30-day change as the indicator, Call of Legends (up 4.9%), Team Up (up 3.4%), XY Black Star Promos (up 3.3%), Crystal Guardians (up 2.9%), FireRed & LeafGreen (up 2.5%), Deoxys (up 2.0%), and Neo Destiny (up 1.1%) all show positive median moves. Skyridge (up 0.7%), Holon Phantoms (up 0.2%), Team Rocket Returns (up 0.4%), Dragon Frontiers (up 0.4%), SM Black Star Promos (up 0.2%), and a few others also show modest positive medians. Which sets are softening? Evolving Skies records a negative median change at -0.2%. Several high-total-value sets are flat on a median basis this period: Legendary Collection, Aquapolis, XY Promos, Unseen Forces, Expedition Base Set, Delta Species and others show median 30-day change listed as 0.0% this week. Collectors chasing short-term momentum can look to the strengthening list above; collectors focused on set-level depth should note that many top-total-value sets remain flat rather than weakening.

What separates the leaders depends on which ranking you choose. Skyridge leads total raw value with a high top-card raw price and a relatively high median card price of $49.99 across 157 priced cards, which contrasts with sets like Team Up that show much lower median card prices ($0.50) but large counts of priced cards (197) and strong short-term median gains (up 3.4%). Legendary Collection combines a high median card price of $138.75 with a high total raw value and fewer priced cards (96), while Neo Destiny pairs an outsized top-card raw price for Shining Charizard ($3,998.99) with a low median card price ($13.50) and a modest positive median 30-day change (up 1.1%). Sets with high medians but smaller populations, such as 拡張シート2 and ロケット団, show how concentrated value in small portfolios can produce high medians despite lower total raw value. Conversely, modern or large promo pools like Evolving Skies and SM Black Star Promos sit lower in total raw value while offering many priced listings; Evolving Skies is also the only listed set with a negative median 30-day change, making it distinctive among high-count recent sets.

For collectors, sellers and those weighing whether to grade: if you hold high-median, small-population sets such as 拡張シート2 (median $400) or ロケット団 (median $300), the per-card pricing profile suggests items may carry strong per-unit value that grading could accentuate, keeping in mind the grading fee assumption of $25 included in this report context. If you hold large, legacy sets that top total raw value—Skyridge ($28,994 total raw value, Umbreon top $4,999.99), Legendary Collection ($24,586 total raw value, Mewtwo top $3,300), Holon Phantoms ($17,424 total raw value, Mewtwo ☆ top $9,200)—those sets concentrate value in flagship cards and show mixed median momentum (Skyridge up 0.7%, Holon Phantoms up 0.2%, Legendary Collection flat at 0.0%). For short-term movers, Call of Legends (up 4.9%) and Team Up (up 3.4%) show the most positive median 30-day behavior; for flat-to-stable holdings, several core early-2000s sets register 0.0% median change and therefore present a steady profile rather than strengthening or softening this week. Use the specific set figures and top-card prices above when prioritizing which singles to list, retain for grading, or source for buying: each strategy should match whether you prize concentrated top-card value, high median per-card prices, or short-term positive medians.

Putting it together, the biggest 30-day gainers emphasize Legendary Collection, Team Rocket Returns and Holon Phantoms contributions in Rare Holo and Rare Holo Star tiers, with Alakazam (Legendary Collection 1/110) up 257.9% to $849.99, Muk (Legendary Collection 16/110) up 169.9% to $237.50, Torchic ☆ (Team Rocket Returns 108/109) up 140.5% to $1,200 and Pikachu ☆ (Holon Phantoms 104/110) up 136.8% to $900. The top decliners are concentrated in Expedition-era and Aquapolis-era staples plus a cluster from Ascended Heroes and modern promos: Scizor ex (Unseen Forces 108/115) down 84.7% to $45.99, Blastoise (Expedition Base Set 4/165) down 76.4% to $94.22, and Lugia (Aquapolis 149/147) down 64.3% to $500. Collectors chasing momentum should weigh the era and rarity clusters visible here—classic-era Rare Holos and Holo Stars among the gainers versus older holo/secret rare staples among the decliners—while remembering the top-100 value index is up 5.2% and the overall count of gainers exceeds decliners by the amounts stated above.

This week’s snapshot shows a large, layered Pokémon card market with 31,405 priced cards spanning 465 sets and a total raw (ungraded near‑mint) market value of $1,178,376. The median card price sits at $4.47, which places most individual listings in the lower dollar bands even while higher tiers hold disproportionate value. There are 3,439 cards priced $100 or more and 73 cards priced $1,000 or more; those higher‑value strata make up a small portion of the count but a large portion of dollars. Graded supply at the top end is meaningful: 14,961 cards have PSA 10 census entries recorded in this snapshot. For collectors and sellers, that split matters — the market is broad in count but concentrated in nominal value into the hundreds and thousands of dollars, as shown by the raw totals and the explicit counts of high‑value cards.

Breadth measures over the short term show a market where movement is present but not uniformly directional. Using the defined mover rules (only cards priced at $5 or more with at least three price points, and excluding changes above 300% as unreliable), the pool of tracked movers is 2,948 cards. Over the most recent 7 days, 711 of those movers were up and 606 were down while 1,303 were flat; over 30 days, 1,214 were up, 791 were down and 674 were flat. The median 7‑day change percentage is 0.0% and the median 30‑day change percentage is 0.0%, reflecting that the middle of the mover distribution has not shifted on either horizon. In plain terms: many individual cards are unchanged over both 7‑day and 30‑day windows, while a sizable minority are recording gains; fewer are in decline by count, though declines are present.

The top‑end value index diverges from the middle‑of‑the‑market breadth. The value‑weighted top‑100 index — the top 100 value basket with a 7‑day and 30‑day basket size of 100 — shows gains: the top‑100 value index is up 3.9% over 7 days and up 5.2% over 30 days, and the top‑100 basket’s total raw value is $118,919. That indicates the highest‑value cards in the market have appreciated in the short and medium term while the median mover sits unchanged. The coexistence of a rising top‑100 value index and median change figures of 0.0% means breadth is shallow relative to the index: the very valuable cards are rising enough, on a value‑weighted basis, to move the index upward even though most tracked movers at the middle of their distributions are flat. For holders of the most valuable single items, that divergence is important: value concentration at the top can produce index gains while the majority of individual listings see no movement.

Price‑tier behavior underlines the same concentration pattern. There are 10,540 priced cards under $1 and 5,677 in the $1–$5 tier, together representing a large fraction of total counts but low per‑item value; both tiers show a median 30‑day change of 0.0%. The $5–$20 tier contains 4,749 priced cards and shows a median 30‑day change of 0.0% as well. Mid to upper tiers — 7,000 cards in $20–$100 and 3,366 cards in $100–$1,000 — also show median 30‑day changes of 0.0%. The $1,000+ tier contains 73 priced cards with a median 30‑day change of 0.0% on a per‑tier median basis, but recall the top‑100 value index has risen (3.9% over 7 days, 5.2% over 30 days) and the top‑100 basket total is $118,919. Put simply: medians by tier read neutral across every price band, yet the most valuable subset of the market has moved higher on a value‑weighted basis. This pattern is consistent with a market where headline index gains can coexist with flat medians across price bands because the top dollars carry outsized influence.

What this means for action: if you hold cards concentrated in the top value band, the top‑100 index behavior suggests recent upward value pressure — the index is up 3.9% over 7 days and 5.2% over 30 days and the top‑100 basket totals $118,919 — so decisions around selling versus holding should consider that the very top end has been the locus of appreciation. If your inventory is largely in the large counts under $20, median tier moves are 0.0% over 30 days and most items are unchanged in both 7‑day and 30‑day medians; that implies less immediate price momentum for lower‑priced listings. For grading choices, apply the explicit grading fee assumption of $25 when evaluating whether to send a raw card to PSA 10: weigh that fee against the realized prices for PSA 10 examples (the market shows 14,961 PSA 10 entries) and remember graded supply is a separate observable in the market. Finally, because mover counts are restricted to cards priced $5 or more with at least three price points and extreme percentage changes over 300% are excluded, short‑term volatility from sparse data is limited in the mover tallies; the result is a picture of a broad count base with neutral medians and a rising top of market by value.