Is Pikachu worth grading?
Pokémon · Paldean Fates · 018/091 · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 397× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Pikachu sells for $123 against $0.31 raw: a $123 spread, 397× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($23.03) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $0.31
- PSA 10
- $123
- PSA 9
- $23.03
- Gem premium
- 397×
- 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 | $123 | +$97.87 | +$72.87 | −$27.13 |
| PSA 9 | $23.03 | −$2.28 | −$27.28 | −$127 |
| PSA 8 | $9.50 | −$15.81 | −$40.81 | −$141 |
Net = sale price − $0.31 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% | $48.07 | −$2.24 |
| 50% | $73.11 | +$22.80 |
| 75% | $98.14 | +$47.83 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 27%. 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 | $163 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| TAG 10 | $123 | −$39.94 | 55/45 | 72/28 |
| CGC 10 | $32.00 | −$131 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $22.71 | −$140 | 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 | SGC | TAG | ACE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $163 | $32.00 | $22.71 | $123 | — |
| 9.5 | — | $9.63 | — | — | — |
| 9 | $35.11 | $14.77 | — | — | $29.75 |
| 8 | $13.86 | $21.99 | — | — | — |
| 7 | $14.00 | — | — | — | — |
| 5.5 | — | $7.20 | — | — | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
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Other Paldean Fates cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Pikachu — FAQ
Is Pikachu worth grading?
A PSA 10 Pikachu sells for $123 against $0.31 raw: a $123 spread, 397× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($23.03) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. 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 (Paldean Fates 018/091) sells for about $123 versus $0.31 for a raw near-mint copy — a 397× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Pikachu?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $163, ahead of TAG 10 at $123. 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.
What gem rate makes grading Pikachu break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Pikachu breaks even when it gems about 27% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $23.03).
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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