Is Raikou worth grading?
Pokémon · SM Black Star Promos · SM150 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Raikou sells for $394 against $17.57 raw: a $377 spread, 22× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($71.05) 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)
- $17.57
- PSA 10
- $394
- PSA 9
- $71.05
- Gem premium
- 22×
- 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 | $394 | +$352 | +$327 | +$227 |
| PSA 9 | $71.05 | +$28.48 | +$3.48 | −$96.52 |
| PSA 8 | $114 | +$71.27 | +$46.27 | −$53.73 |
Net = sale price − $17.57 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% | $152 | +$84.31 |
| 50% | $233 | +$165 |
| 75% | $314 | +$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 | $394 | best | 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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Other SM Black Star Promos cards worth checking
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Grading Raikou — FAQ
Is Raikou worth grading?
A PSA 10 Raikou sells for $394 against $17.57 raw: a $377 spread, 22× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($71.05) 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 Raikou worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Raikou (SM Black Star Promos SM150) sells for about $394 versus $17.57 for a raw near-mint copy — a 22× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
What centering does Raikou 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.
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