Is Raichu worth grading?
Pokémon · Base Set 2 · 16/130 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Raichu sells for $1,589 against $56.51 raw: a $1,532 spread, 28× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($286) 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)
- $56.51
- PSA 10
- $1,589
- PSA 9
- $286
- 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 | $1,589 | +$1,507 | +$1,482 | +$1,382 |
| PSA 9 | $286 | +$205 | +$180 | +$79.83 |
| PSA 8 | $98.61 | +$17.10 | −$7.90 | −$108 |
Net = sale price − $56.51 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% | $612 | +$505 |
| 50% | $938 | +$831 |
| 75% | $1,263 | +$1,157 |
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 | $1,589 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $230 | −$1,359 | 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 | ACE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $1,589 | $230 | — | — | — |
| 9.5 | — | $187 | — | $79.00 | — |
| 9 | $286 | $99.32 | $55.84 | — | — |
| 8.5 | — | $75.00 | $36.00 | — | — |
| 8 | $98.61 | $65.70 | $120 | $30.00 | — |
| 7.5 | $300 | $44.27 | — | — | — |
| 7 | $47.75 | $38.91 | $47.00 | $18.52 | — |
| 6.5 | — | $35.87 | — | — | — |
| 6 | $37.71 | $32.25 | $10.32 | — | — |
| 5.5 | — | $12.48 | — | — | — |
| 5 | $38.94 | — | — | — | — |
| 4 | $15.12 | — | — | — | — |
| 3 | $27.51 | — | — | — | — |
| 2 | — | — | — | — | $37.61 |
| 1 | $67.77 | $50.00 | — | — | — |
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 Raichu — FAQ
Is Raichu worth grading?
A PSA 10 Raichu sells for $1,589 against $56.51 raw: a $1,532 spread, 28× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($286) 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 Raichu worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Raichu (Base Set 2 16/130) sells for about $1,589 versus $56.51 for a raw near-mint copy — a 28× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Raichu?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $1,589, ahead of CGC 10 at $230. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Raichu 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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