Is Raichu worth grading?
Pokémon · Ascended Heroes · 056/217 · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 1000× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Raichu sells for $200 against $0.20 raw: a $200 spread, 1000× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($14.00) 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)
- $0.20
- PSA 10
- $200
- PSA 9
- $14.00
- Gem premium
- 1000×
- As of
- Oct 4, 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 | $200 | +$175 | +$150 | +$49.80 |
| PSA 9 | $14.00 | −$11.20 | −$36.20 | −$136 |
Net = sale price − $0.20 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% | $60.50 | +$10.30 |
| 50% | $107 | +$56.80 |
| 75% | $154 | +$103 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 19%. 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 | $150 | best | 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.
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Raw conditions & history →Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
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Other Ascended Heroes cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Raichu — FAQ
Is Raichu worth grading?
A PSA 10 Raichu sells for $200 against $0.20 raw: a $200 spread, 1000× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($14.00) 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 Raichu worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Raichu (Ascended Heroes 056/217) sells for about $200 versus $0.20 for a raw near-mint copy — a 1000× premium as of Oct 4, 2026.
What centering does Raichu 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 Raichu break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Raichu breaks even when it gems about 19% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $14.00).
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