Is Pikachu worth grading?
Pokémon · McDonald's Collection 2021 · 25/25 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Pikachu sells for $166 against $4.34 raw: a $162 spread, 38× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($33.29) 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)
- $4.34
- PSA 10
- $166
- PSA 9
- $33.29
- Gem premium
- 38×
- As of
- Aug 17, 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 | $166 | +$137 | +$112 | +$11.63 |
| PSA 9 | $33.29 | +$3.95 | −$21.05 | −$121 |
| PSA 8 | $14.56 | −$14.78 | −$39.78 | −$140 |
Net = sale price − $4.34 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% | $66.46 | +$12.12 |
| 50% | $99.63 | +$45.29 |
| 75% | $133 | +$78.46 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 16%. 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 | $330 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $94.50 | −$235 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $37.68 | −$292 | 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 | $330 | $37.68 | — | $94.50 | — |
| 9.5 | — | $59.22 | $52.89 | $40.00 | — |
| 9 | $52.90 | $22.04 | $29.97 | $6.17 | $19.00 |
| 8.5 | — | $22.58 | $18.00 | — | — |
| 8 | $23.97 | $8.55 | — | — | — |
| 7.5 | — | $7.40 | — | — | — |
| 7 | $14.64 | $5.27 | — | — | — |
| 6 | $17.66 | — | — | — | — |
| 5 | $17.84 | — | — | — | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other McDonald's Collection 2021 cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Pikachu — FAQ
Is Pikachu worth grading?
A PSA 10 Pikachu sells for $166 against $4.34 raw: a $162 spread, 38× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($33.29) 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 (McDonald's Collection 2021 25/25) sells for about $166 versus $4.34 for a raw near-mint copy — a 38× premium as of Aug 17, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Pikachu?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $330, ahead of SGC 10 at $94.50. 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 16% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $33.29).
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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