Is Pikachu & Zekrom-GX worth grading?
Pokémon · SM Black Star Promos · SM168 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Pikachu & Zekrom-GX sells for $1,832 against $228 raw: a $1,604 spread, 8.0× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($340) 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)
- $228
- PSA 10
- $1,832
- PSA 9
- $340
- Gem premium
- 8.0×
- 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 | $1,832 | +$1,579 | +$1,554 | +$1,454 |
| PSA 9 | $340 | +$87.73 | +$62.73 | −$37.27 |
| PSA 8 | $237 | −$15.42 | −$40.42 | −$140 |
Net = sale price − $228 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% | $713 | +$436 |
| 50% | $1,086 | +$809 |
| 75% | $1,459 | +$1,182 |
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 | $1,832 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| TAG 10 | $988 | −$844 | 55/45 | 72/28 |
| CGC 10 | $620 | −$1,212 | 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 | $1,832 | $620 | — | — | $988 | $659 |
| 9.5 | — | $56.24 | $764 | $31.00 | $241 | — |
| 9 | $340 | $252 | $195 | — | $317 | $254 |
| 8.5 | — | $149 | — | — | $199 | — |
| 8 | $237 | $28.83 | — | — | $330 | $265 |
| 7.5 | — | $159 | — | — | — | — |
| 7 | $231 | $105 | — | — | $185 | — |
| 6.5 | — | $132 | — | — | — | — |
| 6 | $161 | — | — | — | $150 | — |
| 5.5 | — | $13.00 | — | — | — | — |
| 5 | $185 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 4 | $90.42 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 3 | $110 | — | — | — | $120 | — |
| 2 | $119 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1.5 | $150 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1 | $251 | — | — | — | — | — |
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
Full set checklist →
Grading Pikachu & Zekrom-GX — FAQ
Is Pikachu & Zekrom-GX worth grading?
A PSA 10 Pikachu & Zekrom-GX sells for $1,832 against $228 raw: a $1,604 spread, 8.0× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($340) 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 & Zekrom-GX worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Pikachu & Zekrom-GX (SM Black Star Promos SM168) sells for about $1,832 versus $228 for a raw near-mint copy — a 8.0× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Pikachu & Zekrom-GX?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $1,832, ahead of TAG 10 at $988. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Pikachu & Zekrom-GX 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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