Is Pikachu worth grading?
Pokémon · POP Series 5 · 12/17 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Pikachu sells for $1,716 against $62.87 raw: a $1,653 spread, 27× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($286) 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)
- $62.87
- PSA 10
- $1,716
- PSA 9
- $286
- Gem premium
- 27×
- 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 | $1,716 | +$1,628 | +$1,603 | +$1,503 |
| PSA 9 | $286 | +$198 | +$173 | +$73.20 |
| PSA 8 | $93.75 | +$5.88 | −$19.12 | −$119 |
Net = sale price − $62.87 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% | $644 | +$531 |
| 50% | $1,001 | +$888 |
| 75% | $1,358 | +$1,246 |
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 | $1,716 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $244 | −$1,472 | 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 | SGC | TAG | ACE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $1,716 | $244 | — | — | — |
| 9.5 | — | $62.40 | — | — | — |
| 9 | $14,200 | $55.90 | — | — | $291 |
| 8.5 | — | $55.22 | — | $76.47 | — |
| 8 | $169 | $64.66 | $150 | — | — |
| 7.5 | — | $595 | — | — | — |
| 7 | $1,197 | $805 | — | — | — |
| 6.5 | — | $22.00 | — | — | — |
| 6 | $530 | — | — | — | — |
| 5.5 | — | $22.50 | — | — | — |
| 5 | $132 | — | — | — | — |
| 4.5 | — | $60.00 | — | — | — |
| 4 | $400 | — | — | — | — |
| 3 | $120 | — | — | — | — |
| 2 | $130 | — | — | — | — |
| 1 | $334 | $269 | — | — | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other POP Series 5 cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Pikachu — FAQ
Is Pikachu worth grading?
A PSA 10 Pikachu sells for $1,716 against $62.87 raw: a $1,653 spread, 27× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($286) 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 (POP Series 5 12/17) sells for about $1,716 versus $62.87 for a raw near-mint copy — a 27× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Pikachu?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $1,716, ahead of CGC 10 at $244. 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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