Is Pikachu VMAX worth grading?
Pokémon · Lost Origin Trainer Gallery · TG17/TG30 · full price guide →
Worth grading only if it gems
A PSA 10 Pikachu VMAX brings $318 versus $112 raw — a $206 spread that covers an economy-tier ~$25 grading fee. A PSA 9 ($118) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming.
- Raw (NM)
- $112
- PSA 10
- $318
- PSA 9
- $118
- Gem premium
- 2.8×
- 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 | $318 | +$181 | +$156 | +$55.62 |
| PSA 9 | $118 | −$18.78 | −$43.78 | −$144 |
| PSA 8 | $92.64 | −$44.41 | −$69.41 | −$169 |
Net = sale price − $112 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% | $168 | +$6.07 |
| 50% | $218 | +$55.92 |
| 75% | $268 | +$106 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 22%. 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 | $688 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| TAG 10 | $348 | −$339 | 55/45 | 72/28 |
| PSA 10 | $318 | −$370 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $165 | −$523 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $90.39 | −$597 | 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 | $318 | $165 | $688 | $90.39 | $348 | $198 |
| 9.5 | — | $73.00 | $73.84 | $58.65 | — | — |
| 9 | $118 | $85.16 | $94.53 | $49.97 | $51.11 | $98.01 |
| 8.5 | — | $41.50 | $99.81 | $20.97 | $50.00 | — |
| 8 | $92.64 | $62.69 | — | — | — | $86.62 |
| 7.5 | — | $16.03 | — | — | — | — |
| 7 | $39.97 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 5 | $59.99 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 4 | $34.00 | — | — | — | — | — |
Run your own numbers
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Grading Pikachu VMAX — FAQ
Is Pikachu VMAX worth grading?
A PSA 10 Pikachu VMAX brings $318 versus $112 raw — a $206 spread that covers an economy-tier ~$25 grading fee. A PSA 9 ($118) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming.
How much is a PSA 10 Pikachu VMAX worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Pikachu VMAX (Lost Origin Trainer Gallery TG17/TG30) sells for about $318 versus $112 for a raw near-mint copy — a 2.8× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Pikachu VMAX?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $688, ahead of TAG 10 at $348. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Pikachu VMAX 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 VMAX break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Pikachu VMAX breaks even when it gems about 22% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $118).
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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