Is Ash's Pikachu worth grading?
Pokémon · SM Black Star Promos · SM108 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Ash's Pikachu sells for $551 against $39.34 raw: a $512 spread, 14× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($71.11) 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)
- $39.34
- PSA 10
- $551
- PSA 9
- $71.11
- Gem premium
- 14×
- 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 | $551 | +$487 | +$462 | +$362 |
| PSA 9 | $71.11 | +$6.77 | −$18.23 | −$118 |
| PSA 8 | $57.20 | −$7.14 | −$32.14 | −$132 |
Net = sale price − $39.34 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% | $191 | +$102 |
| 50% | $311 | +$222 |
| 75% | $431 | +$342 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 4%. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BGS 10 | $725 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $551 | −$174 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $148 | −$577 | 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 | BGS | SGC | TAG | ACE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $551 | $148 | $725 | — | — | — |
| 9.5 | — | $45.16 | $330 | $54.99 | — | — |
| 9 | $71.11 | $54.53 | $141 | — | $15.50 | $49.87 |
| 8.5 | — | $41.44 | — | — | — | — |
| 8 | $57.20 | $32.62 | — | — | — | $39.22 |
| 7.5 | — | $29.90 | — | — | — | — |
| 7 | $44.59 | $7.00 | — | — | — | — |
| 6 | $20.52 | — | — | — | — | $24.15 |
| 5 | $20.04 | — | — | — | — | $27.26 |
| 1 | $50.00 | — | — | — | — | — |
Run your own numbers
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Other SM Black Star Promos cards worth checking
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Grading Ash's Pikachu — FAQ
Is Ash's Pikachu worth grading?
A PSA 10 Ash's Pikachu sells for $551 against $39.34 raw: a $512 spread, 14× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($71.11) 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 Ash's Pikachu worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Ash's Pikachu (SM Black Star Promos SM108) sells for about $551 versus $39.34 for a raw near-mint copy — a 14× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Ash's Pikachu?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $725, ahead of PSA 10 at $551. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Ash's Pikachu need for a BGS 10?
BGS publishes 55/45 front and 70/30 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 Ash's Pikachu break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Ash's Pikachu breaks even when it gems about 4% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $71.11).
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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