Is Alakazam worth grading?
Pokémon · Skyridge · 2/144 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Alakazam sells for $421 against $123 raw: a $298 spread, 3.4× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($177) 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)
- $123
- PSA 10
- $421
- PSA 9
- $177
- Gem premium
- 3.4×
- 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 | $421 | +$273 | +$248 | +$148 |
| PSA 9 | $177 | +$28.81 | +$3.81 | −$96.19 |
| PSA 8 | $47.05 | −$101 | −$126 | −$226 |
Net = sale price − $123 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% | $238 | +$64.81 |
| 50% | $299 | +$126 |
| 75% | $360 | +$187 |
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 | $940 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $820 | −$120 | 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 | ACE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $940 | $820 | — | $1,609 |
| 9.5 | — | $275 | $300 | — |
| 9 | $435 | $250 | $336 | $66.63 |
| 8.5 | — | $90.18 | — | — |
| 8 | $138 | $54.97 | $550 | — |
| 7 | $89.41 | — | — | — |
| 6 | $269 | — | — | — |
| 5 | $75.00 | — | — | — |
| 4 | — | $22.00 | — | — |
| 3 | $60.00 | — | — | — |
| 1 | $50.00 | — | — | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other Skyridge cards worth checking
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Grading Alakazam — FAQ
Is Alakazam worth grading?
A PSA 10 Alakazam sells for $421 against $123 raw: a $298 spread, 3.4× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($177) 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 (Skyridge 2/144) sells for about $421 versus $123 for a raw near-mint copy — a 3.4× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Alakazam?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $940, ahead of CGC 10 at $820. 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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