Is Pikachu worth grading?
Pokémon · Ascended Heroes · 055/217 · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 750× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Pikachu sells for $240 against $0.32 raw: a $240 spread, 750× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($14.68) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $0.32
- PSA 10
- $240
- PSA 9
- $14.68
- Gem premium
- 750×
- 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 | $240 | +$215 | +$190 | +$89.68 |
| PSA 9 | $14.68 | −$10.64 | −$35.64 | −$136 |
| PSA 8 | $17.50 | −$7.82 | −$32.82 | −$133 |
Net = sale price − $0.32 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% | $71.01 | +$20.69 |
| 50% | $127 | +$77.02 |
| 75% | $184 | +$133 |
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 | $599 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $47.44 | −$552 | 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 | ACE |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $599 | $26.00 | — |
| 9.5 | — | $2.64 | — |
| 9 | $23.91 | $2.42 | $20.01 |
| 8.5 | — | $2.25 | — |
| 8 | $11.36 | — | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other Ascended Heroes cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Pikachu — FAQ
Is Pikachu worth grading?
A PSA 10 Pikachu sells for $240 against $0.32 raw: a $240 spread, 750× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($14.68) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. 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 (Ascended Heroes 055/217) sells for about $240 versus $0.32 for a raw near-mint copy — a 750× premium as of Aug 18, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Pikachu?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $599, ahead of CGC 10 at $47.44. 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 $14.68).
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.
Check my card free