Is Pikachu worth grading?
Pokémon · Evolving Skies · 049/203 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Pikachu sells for $95.00 against $0.38 raw: a $94.62 spread, 250× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($30.88) 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)
- $0.38
- PSA 10
- $95.00
- PSA 9
- $30.88
- Gem premium
- 250×
- 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 | $95.00 | +$69.62 | +$44.62 | −$55.38 |
| PSA 9 | $30.88 | +$5.50 | −$19.50 | −$120 |
| PSA 8 | $13.38 | −$12.00 | −$37.00 | −$137 |
Net = sale price − $0.38 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% | $46.91 | −$3.47 |
| 50% | $62.94 | +$12.56 |
| 75% | $78.97 | +$28.59 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 30%. 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 | $104 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $100 | −$4.24 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $40.10 | −$64.14 | 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.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | PSA | CGC | BGS | SGC | ACE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $67.29 | $40.10 | — | $100 | — |
| 9.5 | — | $19.55 | $38.00 | — | — |
| 9 | $28.36 | $28.76 | $12.31 | — | $20.15 |
| 8.5 | $19.91 | $7.20 | — | — | — |
| 8 | $23.90 | $24.32 | $11.69 | — | — |
| 7 | $6.97 | — | — | — | — |
| 6 | $14.62 | — | — | — | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
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Other Evolving Skies cards worth checking
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Grading Pikachu — FAQ
Is Pikachu worth grading?
A PSA 10 Pikachu sells for $95.00 against $0.38 raw: a $94.62 spread, 250× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($30.88) 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 (Evolving Skies 049/203) sells for about $95.00 versus $0.38 for a raw near-mint copy — a 250× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Pikachu?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $104, ahead of SGC 10 at $100. 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 30% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $30.88).
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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