Is Pikachu worth grading?
Pokémon · SM Black Star Promos · SM98 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Pikachu sells for $488 against $52.87 raw: a $435 spread, 9.2× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($127) 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)
- $52.87
- PSA 10
- $488
- PSA 9
- $127
- Gem premium
- 9.2×
- 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 | $488 | +$410 | +$385 | +$285 |
| PSA 9 | $127 | +$49.31 | +$24.31 | −$75.69 |
| PSA 8 | $85.26 | +$7.39 | −$17.61 | −$118 |
Net = sale price − $52.87 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% | $217 | +$114 |
| 50% | $307 | +$205 |
| 75% | $398 | +$295 |
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 | $488 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $339 | −$148 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $160 | −$328 | 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 | $488 | $339 | — | $160 | — |
| 9.5 | — | $313 | — | $20.00 | — |
| 9 | $127 | $43.59 | — | — | $94.00 |
| 8.5 | $86.00 | $28.77 | $33.00 | — | — |
| 8 | $85.26 | $22.73 | — | — | — |
| 7.5 | — | $15.00 | — | — | — |
| 7 | $60.14 | — | — | — | — |
| 6 | $15.77 | — | — | — | — |
| 5 | $15.00 | — | — | — | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
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Other SM Black Star Promos cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Pikachu — FAQ
Is Pikachu worth grading?
A PSA 10 Pikachu sells for $488 against $52.87 raw: a $435 spread, 9.2× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($127) 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 SM98) sells for about $488 versus $52.87 for a raw near-mint copy — a 9.2× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Pikachu?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $488, ahead of CGC 10 at $339. 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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