Is Pikachu worth grading?
Pokémon · SM Black Star Promos · SM162 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Pikachu sells for $1,923 against $167 raw: a $1,755 spread, 11× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($242) 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)
- $167
- PSA 10
- $1,923
- PSA 9
- $242
- Gem premium
- 11×
- 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 | $1,923 | +$1,730 | +$1,705 | +$1,605 |
| PSA 9 | $242 | +$49.90 | +$24.90 | −$75.10 |
| PSA 8 | $151 | −$41.64 | −$66.64 | −$167 |
Net = sale price − $167 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% | $663 | +$445 |
| 50% | $1,083 | +$865 |
| 75% | $1,503 | +$1,285 |
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 | $1,923 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| TAG 10 | $1,520 | −$402 | 55/45 | 72/28 |
| CGC 10 | $489 | −$1,434 | 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 | $1,923 | $489 | — | — | $1,520 | $64.37 |
| 9.5 | — | $132 | $601 | $150 | — | — |
| 9 | $242 | $208 | $281 | — | $262 | $202 |
| 8.5 | $132 | $160 | $140 | — | $325 | — |
| 8 | $151 | $111 | $78.71 | — | — | $145 |
| 7.5 | — | $165 | — | — | $128 | — |
| 7 | $164 | $119 | — | — | — | — |
| 6.5 | — | $120 | — | — | — | — |
| 6 | $140 | $60.00 | — | — | — | — |
| 5 | $79.20 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 4 | $40.07 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2 | $499 | — | — | — | — | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
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Other SM Black Star Promos cards worth checking
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Grading Pikachu — FAQ
Is Pikachu worth grading?
A PSA 10 Pikachu sells for $1,923 against $167 raw: a $1,755 spread, 11× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($242) 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 (SM Black Star Promos SM162) sells for about $1,923 versus $167 for a raw near-mint copy — a 11× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Pikachu?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $1,923, ahead of TAG 10 at $1,520. 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.
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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