Is Alakazam worth grading?
Pokémon · Mega Evolution Black Star Promos · 003 · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 6.7× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Alakazam sells for $154 against $22.89 raw: a $131 spread, 6.7× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($33.59) 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)
- $22.89
- PSA 10
- $154
- PSA 9
- $33.59
- Gem premium
- 6.7×
- 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 | $154 | +$106 | +$81.44 | −$18.56 |
| PSA 9 | $33.59 | −$14.30 | −$39.30 | −$139 |
| PSA 8 | $19.20 | −$28.69 | −$53.69 | −$154 |
Net = sale price − $22.89 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% | $63.78 | −$9.11 |
| 50% | $93.96 | +$21.07 |
| 75% | $124 | +$51.26 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 33%. 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 | $559 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $122 | −$437 | 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 | TAG | ACE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $559 | $78.00 | — | $376 |
| 9.5 | — | $132 | — | — |
| 9 | $176 | — | $40.05 | $53.42 |
| 8 | $125 | — | — | — |
| 7 | $100 | — | — | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other Mega Evolution Black Star Promos cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Alakazam — FAQ
Is Alakazam worth grading?
A PSA 10 Alakazam sells for $154 against $22.89 raw: a $131 spread, 6.7× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($33.59) 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 Alakazam worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Alakazam (Mega Evolution Black Star Promos 003) sells for about $154 versus $22.89 for a raw near-mint copy — a 6.7× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Alakazam?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $559, ahead of CGC 10 at $122. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Alakazam 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 Alakazam break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Alakazam breaks even when it gems about 33% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $33.59).
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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