Is Pikachu worth grading?
Pokémon · Scarlet & Violet Black Star Promos · 027 · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 10× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Pikachu sells for $203 against $19.77 raw: a $183 spread, 10× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($40.61) 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)
- $19.77
- PSA 10
- $203
- PSA 9
- $40.61
- Gem premium
- 10×
- As of
- Oct 11, 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 | $203 | +$158 | +$133 | +$33.47 |
| PSA 9 | $40.61 | −$4.16 | −$29.16 | −$129 |
| PSA 8 | $33.47 | −$11.30 | −$36.30 | −$136 |
Net = sale price − $19.77 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% | $81.27 | +$11.50 |
| 50% | $122 | +$52.16 |
| 75% | $163 | +$92.81 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BGS 10 | $314 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| TAG 10 | $249 | −$65.02 | 55/45 | 72/28 |
| PSA 10 | $203 | −$111 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $64.62 | −$249 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $32.40 | −$282 | 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 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 $203 against $19.77 raw: a $183 spread, 10× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($40.61) 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 027) sells for about $203 versus $19.77 for a raw near-mint copy — a 10× premium as of Oct 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Pikachu?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $314, ahead of TAG 10 at $249. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Pikachu need for a BGS 10?
BGS publishes 55/45 front and 70/30 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 $40.61).
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