Is Ash's Pikachu worth grading?
Pokémon · SM Black Star Promos · SM109 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Ash's Pikachu sells for $708 against $134 raw: a $574 spread, 5.3× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($182) 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)
- $134
- PSA 10
- $708
- PSA 9
- $182
- Gem premium
- 5.3×
- 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 | $708 | +$549 | +$524 | +$424 |
| PSA 9 | $182 | +$22.31 | −$2.69 | −$103 |
| PSA 8 | $130 | −$29.44 | −$54.44 | −$154 |
Net = sale price − $134 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% | $313 | +$129 |
| 50% | $445 | +$261 |
| 75% | $577 | +$392 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 1%. 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 | $708 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $137 | −$572 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $708 | $137 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | $50.00 |
| 9 | $182 | $52.01 | — |
| 8.5 | — | $39.36 | — |
| 8 | $130 | $9.00 | — |
| 7.5 | — | $49.80 | — |
| 7 | $84.14 | — | — |
| 6 | $74.65 | — | — |
| 4 | $32.00 | — | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
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 $708 against $134 raw: a $574 spread, 5.3× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($182) 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 SM109) sells for about $708 versus $134 for a raw near-mint copy — a 5.3× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Ash's Pikachu?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $708, ahead of CGC 10 at $137. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Ash's 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 Ash's Pikachu break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Ash's Pikachu breaks even when it gems about 1% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $182).
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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