Is Surfing Pikachu worth grading?
Pokémon · Wizards Black Star Promos · 28 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Surfing Pikachu sells for $1,238 against $73.61 raw: a $1,165 spread, 17× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($155) 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)
- $73.61
- PSA 10
- $1,238
- PSA 9
- $155
- Gem premium
- 17×
- 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 | $1,238 | +$1,140 | +$1,115 | +$1,015 |
| PSA 9 | $155 | +$55.99 | +$30.99 | −$69.01 |
| PSA 8 | $82.91 | −$15.70 | −$40.70 | −$141 |
Net = sale price − $73.61 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% | $425 | +$302 |
| 50% | $696 | +$573 |
| 75% | $967 | +$844 |
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 | $1,238 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $142 | −$1,096 | 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 | $1,238 | $142 | — | — | — | $111 |
| 9.5 | — | $149 | — | $56.00 | — | — |
| 9 | $155 | $84.82 | $95.53 | — | $35.00 | — |
| 8.5 | $59.92 | $64.32 | $59.16 | — | — | — |
| 8 | $82.91 | $65.79 | $55.00 | — | — | — |
| 7.5 | — | $45.21 | — | — | — | — |
| 7 | $60.66 | $52.93 | — | — | — | — |
| 6.5 | — | $35.00 | — | — | — | — |
| 6 | $58.72 | $18.00 | — | — | — | — |
| 5 | $26.86 | $19.00 | — | — | — | — |
| 4 | $25.00 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 3 | $31.00 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1 | $111 | — | — | — | — | — |
Run your own numbers
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Other Wizards Black Star Promos cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Surfing Pikachu — FAQ
Is Surfing Pikachu worth grading?
A PSA 10 Surfing Pikachu sells for $1,238 against $73.61 raw: a $1,165 spread, 17× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($155) 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 Surfing Pikachu worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Surfing Pikachu (Wizards Black Star Promos 28) sells for about $1,238 versus $73.61 for a raw near-mint copy — a 17× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Surfing Pikachu?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $1,238, ahead of CGC 10 at $142. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Surfing 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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