Is Pikachu worth grading?
Pokémon · Base Set 2 · 87/130 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Pikachu sells for $362 against $3.10 raw: a $359 spread, 117× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($40.34) 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)
- $3.10
- PSA 10
- $362
- PSA 9
- $40.34
- Gem premium
- 117×
- 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 | $362 | +$334 | +$309 | +$209 |
| PSA 9 | $40.34 | +$12.24 | −$12.76 | −$113 |
| PSA 8 | $24.90 | −$3.20 | −$28.20 | −$128 |
Net = sale price − $3.10 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% | $121 | +$67.76 |
| 50% | $201 | +$148 |
| 75% | $282 | +$229 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 4%. 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 | $362 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $90.18 | −$272 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $20.00 | −$342 | 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 | $362 | $90.18 | — | $20.00 | — |
| 9.5 | — | $34.99 | $9.00 | — | — |
| 9 | $40.34 | $29.71 | $34.15 | $10.07 | — |
| 8.5 | — | $4.03 | $9.10 | $12.07 | $35.00 |
| 8 | $24.90 | $21.10 | — | $7.00 | — |
| 7.5 | — | $8.12 | — | — | — |
| 7 | $10.03 | $7.02 | — | — | — |
| 6.5 | — | $14.72 | — | — | — |
| 6 | $21.79 | — | — | — | — |
| 5.5 | — | $9.00 | — | — | — |
| 5 | $16.91 | $8.00 | — | $24.99 | — |
| 4 | $10.50 | — | — | — | — |
| 3 | $3.25 | — | — | — | — |
| 1 | $47.00 | — | — | — | — |
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 Pikachu — FAQ
Is Pikachu worth grading?
A PSA 10 Pikachu sells for $362 against $3.10 raw: a $359 spread, 117× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($40.34) 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 Pikachu worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Pikachu (Base Set 2 87/130) sells for about $362 versus $3.10 for a raw near-mint copy — a 117× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Pikachu?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $362, ahead of CGC 10 at $90.18. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Pikachu 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 Pikachu break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Pikachu breaks even when it gems about 4% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $40.34).
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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