Is Pikachu worth grading?
Pokémon · SM Black Star Promos · SM81 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Pikachu sells for $4,507 against $29.38 raw: a $4,477 spread, 153× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($286) 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)
- $29.38
- PSA 10
- $4,507
- PSA 9
- $286
- Gem premium
- 153×
- 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 | $4,507 | +$4,452 | +$4,427 | +$4,327 |
| PSA 9 | $286 | +$231 | +$206 | +$106 |
| PSA 8 | $109 | +$54.80 | +$29.80 | −$70.20 |
Net = sale price − $29.38 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% | $1,341 | +$1,262 |
| 50% | $2,396 | +$2,317 |
| 75% | $3,452 | +$3,372 |
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 | $4,507 | 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.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | PSA | CGC |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | $4,507 | — |
| 9.5 | — | $28.00 |
| 9 | $286 | — |
| 8.5 | $170 | $14.05 |
| 8 | $109 | $27.00 |
| 7.5 | — | $19.20 |
| 7 | $30.96 | — |
| 6 | $23.20 | — |
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 — FAQ
Is Pikachu worth grading?
A PSA 10 Pikachu sells for $4,507 against $29.38 raw: a $4,477 spread, 153× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($286) 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 SM81) sells for about $4,507 versus $29.38 for a raw near-mint copy — a 153× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
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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