Is Pikachu-EX worth grading?
Pokémon · XY Black Star Promos · XY84 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Pikachu-EX sells for $3,015 against $70.42 raw: a $2,945 spread, 43× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($418) 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)
- $70.42
- PSA 10
- $3,015
- PSA 9
- $418
- Gem premium
- 43×
- As of
- Aug 19, 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 | $3,015 | +$2,920 | +$2,895 | +$2,795 |
| PSA 9 | $418 | +$323 | +$298 | +$198 |
| PSA 8 | $227 | +$132 | +$107 | +$6.57 |
Net = sale price − $70.42 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% | $1,067 | +$947 |
| 50% | $1,717 | +$1,596 |
| 75% | $2,366 | +$2,245 |
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 | $3,015 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $854 | −$2,161 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $3,015 | $854 | — | — |
| 9.5 | — | $191 | — | — |
| 9 | $418 | $151 | — | — |
| 8.5 | $380 | $99.80 | — | — |
| 8 | $227 | $103 | — | $95.11 |
| 7.5 | — | $58.40 | — | — |
| 7 | $64.99 | $33.00 | — | — |
| 6 | $70.05 | — | — | — |
| 5 | $55.94 | — | — | — |
| 4 | $49.94 | — | — | — |
| 3 | $37.06 | — | — | — |
| 2 | $44.00 | — | $104 | — |
| 1 | $153 | — | — | — |
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 Pikachu-EX — FAQ
Is Pikachu-EX worth grading?
A PSA 10 Pikachu-EX sells for $3,015 against $70.42 raw: a $2,945 spread, 43× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($418) 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-EX worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Pikachu-EX (XY Black Star Promos XY84) sells for about $3,015 versus $70.42 for a raw near-mint copy — a 43× premium as of Aug 19, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Pikachu-EX?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $3,015, ahead of CGC 10 at $854. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Pikachu-EX 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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