Is Pikachu worth grading?
Pokémon · HGSS Black Star Promos · HGSS03 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Pikachu sells for $9,946 against $36.94 raw: a $9,909 spread, 269× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($370) 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)
- $36.94
- PSA 10
- $9,946
- PSA 9
- $370
- Gem premium
- 269×
- 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 | $9,946 | +$9,884 | +$9,859 | +$9,759 |
| PSA 9 | $370 | +$308 | +$283 | +$183 |
| PSA 8 | $156 | +$94.49 | +$69.49 | −$30.51 |
Net = sale price − $36.94 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% | $2,764 | +$2,677 |
| 50% | $5,158 | +$5,071 |
| 75% | $7,552 | +$7,465 |
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 | $9,946 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $469 | −$9,476 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $9,946 | $469 | — | — | — |
| 9.5 | — | $249 | $607 | — | — |
| 9 | $370 | $168 | $213 | $22.00 | $182 |
| 8.5 | $250 | $100 | — | — | — |
| 8 | $156 | $30.97 | — | — | — |
| 7.5 | — | $13.78 | — | — | — |
| 7 | $91.88 | $21.23 | — | $17.97 | $24.99 |
| 6.5 | — | $12.02 | — | — | — |
| 6 | $53.77 | $5.99 | $6.00 | — | — |
| 5 | $29.20 | — | — | — | — |
| 4.5 | — | $9.60 | — | — | — |
| 3 | $55.00 | — | — | — | — |
| 1.5 | $180 | — | — | — | — |
| 1 | $131 | — | — | — | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
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Other HGSS Black Star Promos cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Pikachu — FAQ
Is Pikachu worth grading?
A PSA 10 Pikachu sells for $9,946 against $36.94 raw: a $9,909 spread, 269× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($370) 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 (HGSS Black Star Promos HGSS03) sells for about $9,946 versus $36.94 for a raw near-mint copy — a 269× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Pikachu?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $9,946, ahead of CGC 10 at $469. 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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