Is Pikachu worth grading?
Pokémon · Paldean Fates · 018/091 · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 300× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Pikachu sells for $95.88 against $0.32 raw: a $95.56 spread, 300× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($23.05) 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)
- $0.32
- PSA 10
- $95.88
- PSA 9
- $23.05
- Gem premium
- 300×
- As of
- Oct 4, 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 | $95.88 | +$70.56 | +$45.56 | −$54.44 |
| PSA 9 | $23.05 | −$2.27 | −$27.27 | −$127 |
| PSA 8 | $13.63 | −$11.69 | −$36.69 | −$137 |
Net = sale price − $0.32 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% | $41.26 | −$9.06 |
| 50% | $59.46 | +$9.14 |
| 75% | $77.67 | +$27.35 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 37%. 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 | $175 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| TAG 10 | $128 | −$47.83 | 55/45 | 72/28 |
| CGC 10 | $34.27 | −$141 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $20.61 | −$155 | 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.
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Grading Pikachu — FAQ
Is Pikachu worth grading?
A PSA 10 Pikachu sells for $95.88 against $0.32 raw: a $95.56 spread, 300× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($23.05) 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 $95.88 versus $0.32 for a raw near-mint copy — a 300× premium as of Oct 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Pikachu?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $175, ahead of TAG 10 at $128. 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 37% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $23.05).
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