Is Pikachu worth grading?
Pokémon · Team Magma vs Team Aqua · 43/95 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Pikachu sells for $233 against $24.60 raw: a $208 spread, 9.5× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($104) 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)
- $24.60
- PSA 10
- $233
- PSA 9
- $104
- Gem premium
- 9.5×
- 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 | $233 | +$183 | +$158 | +$57.90 |
| PSA 9 | $104 | +$54.17 | +$29.17 | −$70.83 |
| PSA 8 | $30.48 | −$19.12 | −$44.12 | −$144 |
Net = sale price − $24.60 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% | $136 | +$61.35 |
| 50% | $168 | +$93.53 |
| 75% | $200 | +$126 |
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 | $3,138 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $563 | −$2,575 | 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 | $3,138 | $563 | — | — |
| 9.5 | — | $31.00 | — | — |
| 9 | $260 | $209 | $49.97 | $40.49 |
| 8.5 | — | $288 | — | — |
| 8 | $390 | $144 | — | — |
| 7 | $131 | — | — | — |
| 6.5 | — | $17.00 | — | — |
| 6 | $74.87 | — | — | — |
| 5 | $53.61 | — | — | — |
| 4 | $22.50 | — | — | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other Team Magma vs Team Aqua cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Pikachu — FAQ
Is Pikachu worth grading?
A PSA 10 Pikachu sells for $233 against $24.60 raw: a $208 spread, 9.5× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($104) 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 (Team Magma vs Team Aqua 43/95) sells for about $233 versus $24.60 for a raw near-mint copy — a 9.5× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Pikachu?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $3,138, ahead of CGC 10 at $563. 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.
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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