Is Pikachu worth grading?
Pokémon · Lost Origin Trainer Gallery · TG05/TG30 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Pikachu sells for $738 against $49.37 raw: a $689 spread, 15× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($95.31) clears the raw price after an economy-tier ~$25 fee, so a near-miss still comes out ahead. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $49.37
- PSA 10
- $738
- PSA 9
- $95.31
- Gem premium
- 15×
- 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 | $738 | +$664 | +$639 | +$539 |
| PSA 9 | $95.31 | +$20.94 | −$4.06 | −$104 |
| PSA 8 | $48.93 | −$25.44 | −$50.44 | −$150 |
Net = sale price − $49.37 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% | $256 | +$157 |
| 50% | $417 | +$317 |
| 75% | $577 | +$478 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 1%. 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 | $738 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| TAG 10 | $726 | −$11.99 | 55/45 | 72/28 |
| BGS 10 | $226 | −$512 | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| CGC 10 | $212 | −$526 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $133 | −$605 | 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 | BGS | SGC | TAG | ACE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $738 | $212 | $226 | $133 | $726 | $364 |
| 9.5 | — | $79.72 | $268 | $74.62 | — | — |
| 9 | $95.31 | $59.98 | $105 | $45.85 | $117 | $51.22 |
| 8.5 | $11.00 | $22.18 | $36.55 | $13.00 | $46.46 | — |
| 8 | $48.93 | $11.99 | $30.84 | — | $21.50 | $26.87 |
| 7.5 | — | $16.40 | $35.00 | — | $40.99 | — |
| 7 | $39.78 | $23.56 | — | — | — | — |
| 6.5 | — | $21.00 | — | — | — | — |
| 6 | $15.28 | $39.00 | — | — | — | $27.27 |
| 5 | $25.21 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 4 | $25.00 | — | — | — | — | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other Lost Origin Trainer Gallery cards worth checking
Full set checklist →Grading Pikachu — FAQ
Is Pikachu worth grading?
A PSA 10 Pikachu sells for $738 against $49.37 raw: a $689 spread, 15× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($95.31) clears the raw price after an economy-tier ~$25 fee, so a near-miss still comes out ahead. 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 (Lost Origin Trainer Gallery TG05/TG30) sells for about $738 versus $49.37 for a raw near-mint copy — a 15× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Pikachu?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $738, ahead of TAG 10 at $726. 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 1% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $95.31).
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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