Is Detective Pikachu worth grading?
Pokémon · SM Black Star Promos · SM194 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Detective Pikachu sells for $473 against $11.64 raw: a $462 spread, 41× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($46.74) 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)
- $11.64
- PSA 10
- $473
- PSA 9
- $46.74
- Gem premium
- 41×
- 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 | $473 | +$437 | +$412 | +$312 |
| PSA 9 | $46.74 | +$10.10 | −$14.90 | −$115 |
| PSA 8 | $25.58 | −$11.06 | −$36.06 | −$136 |
Net = sale price − $11.64 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% | $153 | +$91.75 |
| 50% | $260 | +$198 |
| 75% | $367 | +$305 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 3%. 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 | $473 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $18.00 | −$455 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $473 | $18.00 | — | — | — |
| 9.5 | — | $25.99 | — | — | — |
| 9 | $46.74 | $22.74 | $8.00 | $15.00 | $65.00 |
| 8.5 | — | $12.82 | — | — | — |
| 8 | $25.58 | — | — | — | — |
| 7.5 | — | $38.00 | $10.00 | — | — |
| 7 | $10.00 | $13.00 | — | — | — |
| 6 | $20.43 | — | — | — | — |
| 5 | $20.00 | — | — | — | — |
| 4 | $15.50 | — | — | — | — |
| 1 | $100 | — | — | — | — |
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 Detective Pikachu — FAQ
Is Detective Pikachu worth grading?
A PSA 10 Detective Pikachu sells for $473 against $11.64 raw: a $462 spread, 41× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($46.74) 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 Detective Pikachu worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Detective Pikachu (SM Black Star Promos SM194) sells for about $473 versus $11.64 for a raw near-mint copy — a 41× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Detective Pikachu?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $473, ahead of CGC 10 at $18.00. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Detective 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 Detective Pikachu break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Detective Pikachu breaks even when it gems about 3% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $46.74).
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.
Check my card free
