Is Pikachu worth grading?
Pokémon · Generations · 26/83 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Pikachu sells for $686 against $4.08 raw: a $681 spread, 168× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($34.13) 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)
- $4.08
- PSA 10
- $686
- PSA 9
- $34.13
- Gem premium
- 168×
- 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 | $686 | +$656 | +$631 | +$531 |
| PSA 9 | $34.13 | +$5.05 | −$19.95 | −$120 |
| PSA 8 | $26.33 | −$2.75 | −$27.75 | −$128 |
Net = sale price − $4.08 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% | $197 | +$143 |
| 50% | $360 | +$306 |
| 75% | $523 | +$469 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 3%. 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 | $1,037 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $140 | −$897 | 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 | $1,037 | $30.09 | — | — | $453 |
| 9 | $140 | $24.03 | — | — | $31.38 |
| 8.5 | $23.54 | $12.04 | — | — | — |
| 8 | $114 | $9.00 | $17.00 | — | $65.14 |
| 7.5 | — | $43.00 | — | $90.00 | — |
| 7 | $57.17 | $4.78 | — | $85.00 | — |
| 6 | $28.02 | $7.00 | — | — | — |
| 5 | $22.93 | $16.00 | — | — | — |
| 4 | $39.00 | — | — | — | — |
| 1 | $38.00 | — | — | — | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other Generations cards worth checking
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Grading Pikachu — FAQ
Is Pikachu worth grading?
A PSA 10 Pikachu sells for $686 against $4.08 raw: a $681 spread, 168× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($34.13) 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 (Generations 26/83) sells for about $686 versus $4.08 for a raw near-mint copy — a 168× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Pikachu?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $1,037, ahead of CGC 10 at $140. 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.
What gem rate makes grading Pikachu break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Pikachu breaks even when it gems about 3% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $34.13).
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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