Is Pikachu worth grading?
Pokémon · Celebrations · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Pikachu sells for $1,437 against $6.01 raw: a $1,431 spread, 239× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($40.58) 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)
- $6.01
- PSA 10
- $1,437
- PSA 9
- $40.58
- Gem premium
- 239×
- As of
- Aug 19, 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 | $1,437 | +$1,406 | +$1,381 | +$1,281 |
| PSA 9 | $40.58 | +$9.57 | −$15.43 | −$115 |
| PSA 8 | $17.07 | −$13.94 | −$38.94 | −$139 |
Net = sale price − $6.01 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% | $390 | +$334 |
| 50% | $739 | +$683 |
| 75% | $1,088 | +$1,032 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA 10 | $1,437 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| TAG 10 | $321 | −$1,116 | 55/45 | 72/28 |
| CGC 10 | $129 | −$1,308 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $123 | −$1,314 | 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 | $1,437 | $129 | — | $123 | $321 | $522 |
| 9.5 | — | $62.19 | $57.96 | $42.39 | — | — |
| 9 | $40.58 | $18.52 | $36.26 | $10.57 | $48.34 | $28.35 |
| 8.5 | $13.75 | $10.53 | $15.47 | $14.74 | $21.03 | — |
| 8 | $17.07 | $12.19 | $12.14 | $7.68 | $16.86 | $27.06 |
| 7.5 | $13.34 | $8.88 | $9.88 | — | $14.82 | — |
| 7 | $13.79 | $6.20 | — | $3.38 | $19.99 | — |
| 6.5 | $10.00 | $5.54 | $5.00 | — | — | — |
| 6 | $12.69 | $3.25 | — | — | — | — |
| 5.5 | — | $5.00 | — | — | — | — |
| 5 | $15.27 | $15.00 | — | — | — | $11.85 |
| 4 | $31.27 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 3 | $34.32 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1 | $54.85 | — | — | — | — | — |
Run your own numbers
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Grading Pikachu — FAQ
Is Pikachu worth grading?
A PSA 10 Pikachu sells for $1,437 against $6.01 raw: a $1,431 spread, 239× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($40.58) 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 (Celebrations) sells for about $1,437 versus $6.01 for a raw near-mint copy — a 239× premium as of Aug 19, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Pikachu?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $1,437, ahead of TAG 10 at $321. 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 1% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $40.58).
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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