Is Pikachu worth grading?
Pokémon · Scarlet & Violet Black Star Promos · 214 · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 13× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Pikachu sells for $262 against $20.43 raw: a $241 spread, 13× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($29.27) 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)
- $20.43
- PSA 10
- $262
- PSA 9
- $29.27
- Gem premium
- 13×
- 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 | $262 | +$216 | +$191 | +$91.33 |
| PSA 9 | $29.27 | −$16.16 | −$41.16 | −$141 |
| PSA 8 | $16.19 | −$29.24 | −$54.24 | −$154 |
Net = sale price − $20.43 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% | $87.39 | +$16.96 |
| 50% | $146 | +$75.08 |
| 75% | $204 | +$133 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 18%. 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 | $262 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| TAG 10 | $163 | −$98.55 | 55/45 | 72/28 |
| CGC 10 | $40.82 | −$221 | 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 | TAG | ACE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $262 | $40.82 | $163 | $115 |
| 9.5 | — | $23.17 | — | — |
| 9 | $29.27 | $17.39 | $31.39 | $34.52 |
| 8.5 | $20.31 | $17.32 | — | — |
| 8 | $16.19 | $10.23 | — | $26.89 |
| 7 | $27.91 | — | — | — |
| 6 | $8.76 | — | — | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other Scarlet & Violet Black Star Promos cards worth checking
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Grading Pikachu — FAQ
Is Pikachu worth grading?
A PSA 10 Pikachu sells for $262 against $20.43 raw: a $241 spread, 13× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($29.27) 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 (Scarlet & Violet Black Star Promos 214) sells for about $262 versus $20.43 for a raw near-mint copy — a 13× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Pikachu?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $262, ahead of TAG 10 at $163. 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 18% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $29.27).
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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