What grade do you guys think would be worth grading a first edition (yellow cheeks) Pikachu from base set?
It has no creases, good centering, but a good amount of whitening on the back. I would guess it is maybe a PSA 5.
TIA.
Personally I’d grade anything PSA 7 and above. However for pikachu, while at this time the value may not differ enough to sell raw vs. selling graded PSA 5, that could change down the line. If you’ve got a submission you’re throwing together I’d include it.
Do you have pics?
anyone have thoughts on if these should be graded or sold raw?
I see no damage in the fronts on these, literally flawless, the backs have whitening to various degrees. Seem like minimum PSA7/8?
I say grade them all. The problem with 1st edition base is there is such little sales data for PSA 5 thru PSA 7 non-holos because it was, until recently, typically not worth it to grade those (they used to sell for $15 or lower for below PSA 8, hell two years ago PSA 9 non-holos were selling for under $20).
I see one recent recorded sale for a PSA 6 red cheeks sold for $300:
I think at this point, with any condition, for 1st edition base pikachu, especially red cheeks, grade every copy you have. All of yours look like PSA 6 minimum, most look like PSA 7. Raw prices have not caught up to PSA prices. 1st base red cheeks LP copies (which usually means PSA 5 to PSA 7) are going for anywhere from $50 to $125, whereas graded copies of same condition seem to be going for $200+, but again I’m basing that off of that one sale I listed above. I can’t even find any PSA 7 or PSA 8 copies being sold at all recently.
This raw to graded price ratio is actually off for a ton of cards at the moment. It’s actually becoming a problem of cost of capital for me than not being able to find underpriced raw copies. What I mean is, I see tons of cards that would be worth buying, grading and seeing the value double or triple just by grading, but there’s so many options in this category right now and I have a limited amount of cash to spend that I have to be selective with what I decide to buy based on what I think is the most optimal option.
if 9s and 10s are in the 4-figure range then I would grade basically any 1st ed pikachu at this point.
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Can’t believe 1st Ed Red Cheeks Pikachu is selling that high now. I have a few of them stuck at PSA for months. Never imagined they’d be worth so much even as a 10.
I would grade any holo or starter from base at pretty much any condition.
Make sure to crease and initial the top right hand corner of the card so that provenance of the card can be tracked