Is Magikarp worth grading?
Pokémon · XY Black Star Promos · XY143 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Magikarp sells for $2,674 against $85.86 raw: a $2,588 spread, 31× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($260) 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)
- $85.86
- PSA 10
- $2,674
- PSA 9
- $260
- Gem premium
- 31×
- 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 | $2,674 | +$2,563 | +$2,538 | +$2,438 |
| PSA 9 | $260 | +$149 | +$124 | +$23.82 |
| PSA 8 | $132 | +$21.40 | −$3.60 | −$104 |
Net = sale price − $85.86 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% | $863 | +$727 |
| 50% | $1,467 | +$1,331 |
| 75% | $2,070 | +$1,934 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
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 | $2,674 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $520 | −$2,154 | 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 | TAG | ACE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $2,674 | $520 | — | — | — |
| 9.5 | — | $142 | $697 | — | — |
| 9 | $260 | $138 | $97.94 | $267 | — |
| 8.5 | $175 | $119 | $100 | $120 | — |
| 8 | $132 | $109 | — | — | $104 |
| 7.5 | — | $91.72 | — | — | — |
| 7 | $34.86 | $16.03 | — | — | — |
| 6 | $68.00 | $39.99 | — | — | — |
| 5.5 | — | — | $25.00 | — | — |
| 5 | $89.73 | — | — | — | — |
| 4 | $15.00 | — | — | — | — |
| 3 | $75.00 | — | — | — | — |
| 1 | $135 | — | — | — | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other XY Black Star Promos cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Magikarp — FAQ
Is Magikarp worth grading?
A PSA 10 Magikarp sells for $2,674 against $85.86 raw: a $2,588 spread, 31× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($260) 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 Magikarp worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Magikarp (XY Black Star Promos XY143) sells for about $2,674 versus $85.86 for a raw near-mint copy — a 31× premium as of Aug 10, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Magikarp?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $2,674, ahead of CGC 10 at $520. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Magikarp 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.
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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