Is Alakazam worth grading?
Pokémon · Base Set 2 · 1/130 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Alakazam sells for $1,524 against $54.70 raw: a $1,469 spread, 28× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($228) clears the raw price after an economy-tier ~$25 fee, so a near-miss still comes out ahead. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $54.70
- PSA 10
- $1,524
- PSA 9
- $228
- Gem premium
- 28×
- 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 | $1,524 | +$1,444 | +$1,419 | +$1,319 |
| PSA 9 | $228 | +$148 | +$123 | +$23.40 |
| PSA 8 | $96.98 | +$17.28 | −$7.72 | −$108 |
Net = sale price − $54.70 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% | $552 | +$447 |
| 50% | $876 | +$771 |
| 75% | $1,200 | +$1,095 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
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 | $1,524 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $566 | −$958 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $1,524 | $566 | — | — | — |
| 9.5 | — | $136 | $126 | — | — |
| 9 | $228 | $132 | $69.25 | $70.00 | $150 |
| 8.5 | $76.89 | $77.92 | $43.00 | — | $80.00 |
| 8 | $96.98 | $58.36 | $27.04 | $35.30 | — |
| 7.5 | $75.00 | $40.19 | $32.00 | — | — |
| 7 | $56.46 | $39.34 | — | $34.79 | — |
| 6.5 | $35.00 | $49.37 | — | — | — |
| 6 | $47.90 | $23.94 | $16.00 | $22.51 | — |
| 5.5 | — | $15.77 | — | — | — |
| 5 | $33.47 | $14.84 | — | — | — |
| 4.5 | — | $12.42 | — | — | — |
| 4 | $34.08 | — | — | $15.46 | — |
| 3 | $21.60 | $8.00 | — | $18.00 | — |
| 2 | $33.78 | — | — | — | — |
| 1 | $49.38 | — | — | — | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other Base Set 2 cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Alakazam — FAQ
Is Alakazam worth grading?
A PSA 10 Alakazam sells for $1,524 against $54.70 raw: a $1,469 spread, 28× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($228) clears the raw price after an economy-tier ~$25 fee, so a near-miss still comes out ahead. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
How much is a PSA 10 Alakazam worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Alakazam (Base Set 2 1/130) sells for about $1,524 versus $54.70 for a raw near-mint copy — a 28× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Alakazam?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $1,524, ahead of CGC 10 at $566. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Alakazam 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.
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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