Pokémon Card Guide Explains Grading Steps and Highlights $16.49 Million Pikachu Illustrator
Updated
Updated · Deadspin · Aug 21
Pokémon Card Guide Explains Grading Steps and Highlights $16.49 Million Pikachu Illustrator
3 articles · Updated · Deadspin · Aug 21
Summary
A new collector guide says grading Pokémon cards starts with deciding whether a card is worth the fee, noting that not every pull should be submitted and that IRs, SIRs, full arts and vintage holos usually carry the strongest resale value.
Cards are judged on four main areas—centering, corners, edges and surface—with grades running from 1 to 10; whitening, scratches, dents, ink blots and off-center cuts can sharply reduce a card’s score.
The guide lays out a basic submission process: buy packs, identify hits, inspect condition, choose a grading company and postage tier, then package cards securely with sleeves, top loaders, bubble wrap and tracked shipping.
PSA and BGS are presented as leaders for resale value, while cheaper alternatives and graphic-label options also exist; the guide adds that grading remains subjective and final decisions rest with the grading company.
To show the upside, it cites top graded sales led by a PSA 10 Pikachu Illustrator at $16,492,000, ahead of a PSA 10 Japanese Base Set Charizard at $1.7 million, while also noting collectors can buy graded slabs directly instead of submitting cards.