Is Pikachu worth grading?
Pokémon · Unified Minds · 55/236 · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 79× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Pikachu sells for $136 against $1.72 raw: a $135 spread, 79× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($22.70) 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)
- $1.72
- PSA 10
- $136
- PSA 9
- $22.70
- Gem premium
- 79×
- 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 | $136 | +$110 | +$84.64 | −$15.36 |
| PSA 9 | $22.70 | −$4.02 | −$29.02 | −$129 |
| PSA 8 | $8.74 | −$17.98 | −$42.98 | −$143 |
Net = sale price − $1.72 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% | $51.12 | −$0.60 |
| 50% | $79.53 | +$27.81 |
| 75% | $108 | +$56.23 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 26%. 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 | $484 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $200 | −$284 | 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | $484 | $200 |
| 9 | $38.10 | $26.00 |
| 8 | $12.12 | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
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Other Unified Minds cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Pikachu — FAQ
Is Pikachu worth grading?
A PSA 10 Pikachu sells for $136 against $1.72 raw: a $135 spread, 79× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($22.70) 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 (Unified Minds 55/236) sells for about $136 versus $1.72 for a raw near-mint copy — a 79× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Pikachu?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $484, ahead of CGC 10 at $200. 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 26% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $22.70).
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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