Is Pikachu worth grading?
Pokémon · Wizards Black Star Promos · 26 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Pikachu sells for $2,976 against $95.18 raw: a $2,880 spread, 31× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($326) 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)
- $95.18
- PSA 10
- $2,976
- PSA 9
- $326
- Gem premium
- 31×
- 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 | $2,976 | +$2,855 | +$2,830 | +$2,730 |
| PSA 9 | $326 | +$206 | +$181 | +$80.69 |
| PSA 8 | $139 | +$18.57 | −$6.43 | −$106 |
Net = sale price − $95.18 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% | $988 | +$843 |
| 50% | $1,651 | +$1,506 |
| 75% | $2,313 | +$2,168 |
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 | $2,976 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $101 | −$2,875 | 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 | ACE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $2,976 | $101 | — | — | — | — |
| 9.5 | — | $141 | $300 | — | — | — |
| 9 | $326 | $154 | $315 | $88.00 | — | — |
| 8.5 | $40.00 | $30.95 | — | — | — | — |
| 8 | $139 | $48.45 | $118 | — | — | — |
| 7.5 | — | $25.99 | — | $15.00 | — | — |
| 7 | $82.82 | $23.97 | — | — | $10.00 | $79.03 |
| 6.5 | — | $15.60 | — | — | — | — |
| 6 | $96.69 | $13.20 | — | — | — | — |
| 5 | $19.43 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 4 | $24.98 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1 | $300 | — | — | — | — | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other Wizards Black Star Promos cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Pikachu — FAQ
Is Pikachu worth grading?
A PSA 10 Pikachu sells for $2,976 against $95.18 raw: a $2,880 spread, 31× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($326) 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 (Wizards Black Star Promos 26) sells for about $2,976 versus $95.18 for a raw near-mint copy — a 31× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Pikachu?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $2,976, ahead of CGC 10 at $101. 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.
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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