Is Pikachu worth grading?
Pokémon · XY Black Star Promos · XY89 · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 9 Pikachu sells for $10,000 against $23.12 raw: a $9,977 spread, 433× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($10,000) 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)
- $23.12
- PSA 9
- $10,000
- PSA 9
- $10,000
- Gem premium
- 433×
- 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 9 | $10,000 | +$9,952 | +$9,927 | +$9,827 |
| PSA 9 | $10,000 | +$9,952 | +$9,927 | +$9,827 |
| PSA 8 | $57.25 | +$9.13 | −$15.87 | −$116 |
Net = sale price − $23.12 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% | $10,000 | +$9,927 |
| 50% | $10,000 | +$9,927 |
| 75% | $10,000 | +$9,927 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | PSA | CGC | BGS |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | $10,000 | — | — |
| 8 | $57.25 | — | $50.00 |
| 6 | $26.37 | $23.00 | — |
| 4 | $10.00 | — | — |
| 1 | $90.00 | — | — |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
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Other XY Black Star Promos cards worth checking
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Grading Pikachu — FAQ
Is Pikachu worth grading?
A PSA 9 Pikachu sells for $10,000 against $23.12 raw: a $9,977 spread, 433× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($10,000) 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.
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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