Is Pikachu ex worth grading?
Pokémon · Surging Sparks · 219/191 · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 5.8× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Pikachu ex sells for $177 against $30.40 raw: a $147 spread, 5.8× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($46.38) 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)
- $30.40
- PSA 10
- $177
- PSA 9
- $46.38
- Gem premium
- 5.8×
- As of
- Aug 26, 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 | $177 | +$122 | +$96.73 | −$3.27 |
| PSA 9 | $46.38 | −$9.02 | −$34.02 | −$134 |
| PSA 8 | $27.23 | −$28.17 | −$53.17 | −$153 |
Net = sale price − $30.40 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% | $79.07 | −$1.33 |
| 50% | $112 | +$31.35 |
| 75% | $144 | +$64.04 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 26%. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TAG 10 | $190 | best | 55/45 | 72/28 |
| PSA 10 | $177 | −$13.01 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $94.15 | −$95.99 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $94.00 | −$96.14 | 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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Other Surging Sparks cards worth checking
Full set checklist →Grading Pikachu ex — FAQ
Is Pikachu ex worth grading?
A PSA 10 Pikachu ex sells for $177 against $30.40 raw: a $147 spread, 5.8× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($46.38) 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 ex worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Pikachu ex (Surging Sparks 219/191) sells for about $177 versus $30.40 for a raw near-mint copy — a 5.8× premium as of Aug 26, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Pikachu ex?
By resale value, TAG 10 leads at $190, ahead of PSA 10 at $177. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Pikachu ex need for a TAG 10?
TAG publishes 55/45 front and 72/28 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 ex break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Pikachu ex breaks even when it gems about 26% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $46.38).
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