Is Pikachu worth grading?
Pokémon · Wizards Black Star Promos · 27 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Pikachu sells for $300 against $30.58 raw: a $270 spread, 9.8× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($77.48) 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)
- $30.58
- PSA 10
- $300
- PSA 9
- $77.48
- Gem premium
- 9.8×
- As of
- Sep 27, 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 | $300 | +$245 | +$220 | +$120 |
| PSA 9 | $77.48 | +$21.90 | −$3.10 | −$103 |
| PSA 8 | $62.66 | +$7.08 | −$17.92 | −$118 |
Net = sale price − $30.58 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% | $133 | +$52.61 |
| 50% | $189 | +$108 |
| 75% | $245 | +$164 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 1%. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TAG 10 | $320 | best | 55/45 | 72/28 |
| PSA 10 | $300 | −$19.66 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $87.96 | −$232 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $50.00 | −$270 | 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.
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Grading Pikachu — FAQ
Is Pikachu worth grading?
A PSA 10 Pikachu sells for $300 against $30.58 raw: a $270 spread, 9.8× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($77.48) 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 27) sells for about $300 versus $30.58 for a raw near-mint copy — a 9.8× premium as of Sep 27, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Pikachu?
By resale value, TAG 10 leads at $320, ahead of PSA 10 at $300. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Pikachu need for a TAG 10?
TAG publishes 55/45 front and 72/28 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 1% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $77.48).
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