Is Lt. Surge's Pikachu worth grading?
Pokémon · Gym Challenge · 84/132 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Lt. Surge's Pikachu sells for $834 against $25.30 raw: a $808 spread, 33× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($123) 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)
- $25.30
- PSA 10
- $834
- PSA 9
- $123
- Gem premium
- 33×
- 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 | $834 | +$783 | +$758 | +$658 |
| PSA 9 | $123 | +$72.28 | +$47.28 | −$52.72 |
| PSA 8 | $66.82 | +$16.52 | −$8.48 | −$108 |
Net = sale price − $25.30 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% | $300 | +$225 |
| 50% | $478 | +$403 |
| 75% | $656 | +$581 |
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 | $834 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| TAG 10 | $257 | −$576 | 55/45 | 72/28 |
| CGC 10 | $168 | −$665 | 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 | TAG | ACE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $451 | $91.32 | — | — | $257 | $41.16 |
| 9.5 | — | $55.90 | $59.99 | — | — | — |
| 9 | $45.43 | $21.24 | $55.00 | $14.00 | — | $40.43 |
| 8.5 | — | $9.06 | — | — | — | — |
| 8 | $45.17 | $18.29 | — | — | — | — |
| 7.5 | — | $15.17 | — | — | — | — |
| 7 | $27.92 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 6.5 | — | $10.00 | — | — | — | — |
| 6 | $28.97 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 5 | $25.00 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1 | $142 | — | — | — | — | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
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Grading Lt. Surge's Pikachu — FAQ
Is Lt. Surge's Pikachu worth grading?
A PSA 10 Lt. Surge's Pikachu sells for $834 against $25.30 raw: a $808 spread, 33× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($123) 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 Lt. Surge's Pikachu worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Lt. Surge's Pikachu (Gym Challenge 84/132) sells for about $834 versus $25.30 for a raw near-mint copy — a 33× premium as of Aug 18, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Lt. Surge's Pikachu?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $834, ahead of TAG 10 at $257. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Lt. Surge's 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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