Is Pikachu worth grading?
Pokémon · Shining Legends · 28/73 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Pikachu sells for $297 against $2.15 raw: a $295 spread, 138× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($27.56) 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)
- $2.15
- PSA 10
- $297
- PSA 9
- $27.56
- Gem premium
- 138×
- As of
- Sep 17, 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 | $297 | +$270 | +$245 | +$145 |
| PSA 9 | $27.56 | +$0.41 | −$24.59 | −$125 |
| PSA 8 | $23.35 | −$3.80 | −$28.80 | −$129 |
Net = sale price − $2.15 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% | $94.83 | +$42.68 |
| 50% | $162 | +$110 |
| 75% | $229 | +$177 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 9%. 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 | $464 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $139 | −$325 | 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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Grading Pikachu — FAQ
Is Pikachu worth grading?
A PSA 10 Pikachu sells for $297 against $2.15 raw: a $295 spread, 138× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($27.56) 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 (Shining Legends 28/73) sells for about $297 versus $2.15 for a raw near-mint copy — a 138× premium as of Sep 17, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Pikachu?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $464, ahead of CGC 10 at $139. 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 9% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $27.56).
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