Is Magikarp worth grading?
Pokémon · Detective Pikachu · 8/18 · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 284× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Magikarp sells for $196 against $0.69 raw: a $196 spread, 284× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($22.90) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $0.69
- PSA 10
- $196
- PSA 9
- $22.90
- Gem premium
- 284×
- 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 | $196 | +$171 | +$146 | +$45.53 |
| PSA 9 | $22.90 | −$2.79 | −$27.79 | −$128 |
| PSA 8 | $14.52 | −$11.17 | −$36.17 | −$136 |
Net = sale price − $0.69 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% | $66.23 | +$15.54 |
| 50% | $110 | +$58.87 |
| 75% | $153 | +$102 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 16%. 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 | $196 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $11.50 | −$185 | 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 | SGC | ACE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $196 | $11.50 | — | — |
| 9.5 | — | $11.50 | — | — |
| 9 | $22.90 | $5.50 | — | $41.07 |
| 8.5 | — | $15.92 | $15.00 | — |
| 8 | $14.52 | $10.06 | — | — |
| 7.5 | — | $5.50 | — | — |
| 7 | $13.60 | — | — | — |
| 6 | $8.31 | — | — | — |
| 5.5 | — | $4.00 | — | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
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Grading Magikarp — FAQ
Is Magikarp worth grading?
A PSA 10 Magikarp sells for $196 against $0.69 raw: a $196 spread, 284× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($22.90) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
How much is a PSA 10 Magikarp worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Magikarp (Detective Pikachu 8/18) sells for about $196 versus $0.69 for a raw near-mint copy — a 284× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Magikarp?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $196, ahead of CGC 10 at $11.50. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Magikarp 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 Magikarp break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Magikarp breaks even when it gems about 16% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $22.90).
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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