Is Alakazam ☆ worth grading?
Pokémon · Crystal Guardians · 99/100 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Alakazam ☆ sells for $4,819 against $900 raw: a $3,919 spread, 5.4× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($6,002) 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)
- $900
- PSA 10
- $4,819
- PSA 9
- $6,002
- Gem premium
- 5.4×
- 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 | $4,819 | +$3,894 | +$3,869 | +$3,769 |
| PSA 9 | $6,002 | +$5,077 | +$5,052 | +$4,952 |
| PSA 8 | $3,792 | +$2,867 | +$2,842 | +$2,742 |
Net = sale price − $900 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% | $5,706 | +$4,756 |
| 50% | $5,411 | +$4,461 |
| 75% | $5,115 | +$4,165 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CGC 10 | $7,773 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| PSA 10 | $4,819 | −$2,954 | 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 | TAG | ACE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $4,819 | $7,773 | — | — | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | $3,136 | — | — |
| 9 | $6,002 | $3,308 | $3,155 | — | — |
| 8.5 | $5,087 | $959 | $588 | — | — |
| 8 | $3,792 | $487 | $2,756 | — | — |
| 7.5 | — | $565 | $2,500 | — | — |
| 7 | $2,736 | $2,185 | — | — | — |
| 6 | $2,027 | — | — | $1,269 | — |
| 5.5 | $1,100 | $957 | — | — | — |
| 5 | $1,662 | $1,124 | — | — | — |
| 4.5 | — | $1,144 | $280 | — | — |
| 4 | $1,374 | $1,100 | — | $995 | $1,205 |
| 3.5 | — | $750 | — | — | — |
| 3 | $1,184 | — | — | $1,001 | — |
| 2 | $875 | — | — | — | $846 |
| 1.5 | $1,500 | $699 | — | — | — |
| 1 | $1,176 | $250 | — | — | — |
Run your own numbers
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Other Crystal Guardians cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Alakazam ☆ — FAQ
Is Alakazam ☆ worth grading?
A PSA 10 Alakazam ☆ sells for $4,819 against $900 raw: a $3,919 spread, 5.4× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($6,002) 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 ☆ (Crystal Guardians 99/100) sells for about $4,819 versus $900 for a raw near-mint copy — a 5.4× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Alakazam ☆?
By resale value, CGC 10 leads at $7,773, ahead of PSA 10 at $4,819. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Alakazam ☆ need for a CGC 10?
CGC 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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