Is Alakazam worth grading?
Pokémon · Expedition Base Set · 33/165 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Alakazam sells for $449 against $16.68 raw: a $432 spread, 27× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($92.10) 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)
- $16.68
- PSA 10
- $449
- PSA 9
- $92.10
- Gem premium
- 27×
- As of
- Aug 18, 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 | $449 | +$407 | +$382 | +$282 |
| PSA 9 | $92.10 | +$50.42 | +$25.42 | −$74.58 |
| PSA 8 | $62.68 | +$21.00 | −$4.00 | −$104 |
Net = sale price − $16.68 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% | $181 | +$115 |
| 50% | $270 | +$204 |
| 75% | $359 | +$293 |
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 | $449 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $312 | −$137 | 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 | ACE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $238 | $312 | — | — | $296 |
| 9.5 | — | $270 | $210 | — | — |
| 9 | $324 | $97.49 | $670 | — | $38.22 |
| 8.5 | $20.00 | $58.86 | — | — | — |
| 8 | $115 | $22.70 | — | $13.00 | — |
| 7.5 | — | $19.00 | — | — | — |
| 7 | $160 | $57.00 | — | $11.00 | — |
| 6.5 | — | $19.00 | — | — | — |
| 6 | $30.54 | $1,050 | — | — | — |
| 5.5 | — | $30.00 | — | — | — |
| 5 | $161 | — | — | — | — |
| 4.5 | — | $20.00 | — | — | — |
| 4 | $20.00 | — | — | — | — |
| 3 | $125 | — | — | — | — |
| 1 | $86.83 | — | — | — | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other Expedition Base Set cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Alakazam — FAQ
Is Alakazam worth grading?
A PSA 10 Alakazam sells for $449 against $16.68 raw: a $432 spread, 27× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($92.10) 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 Alakazam worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Alakazam (Expedition Base Set 33/165) sells for about $449 versus $16.68 for a raw near-mint copy — a 27× premium as of Aug 18, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Alakazam?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $449, ahead of CGC 10 at $312. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Alakazam 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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