How the Rankings Work
Grading a Pokemon card involves two separate risks: will the premium cover the fee? and can you actually sell the finished slab? Each card in the 20-card pool gets two scores: a Return score (ROI% after PSA fee, normalised to 0–100 across the pool) and a Liquidity score (annual PSA 10 sales volume, normalised the same way). Those two scores combine into three ranked lists with different emphasis:
Equal emphasis on return and liquidity. Cards that pass both tests.
Maximise the PSA 10 premium. Vintage holos dominate.
Maximise exit speed. Modern alt arts and rainbows dominate.
Pool: 20 cards from Base Set 1st Edition to modern SARs. PSA fee tiers: $25 (under $500), $50 ($200–$999 raw), $150 ($1,000+). Data: Sep 14 – Sep 19, 2026.
Sweet Spot Picks
Cards that clear a meaningful bar on both return and liquidity — the most broadly useful list for most collectors.
| # | Card | Set | Raw | PSA 10 | Mult. | Net Profit | ROI | Vol / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ancient Mew | Promo | $118 | $3,000 | 25.4× | +$2,857 | +2002% | 2,714 |
| 2 | Armored Mewtwo #365/SM-P | Japanese Promo | $49 | $1,161 | 23.7× | +$1,086 | +1463% | 3,214 |
| 3 | Dark Charizard #6 | Japanese Rocket Gang | $145 | $4,264 | 29.4× | +$4,094 | +2408% | 1,084 |
| 4 | Charizard #4 | Base Set | $463 | $12,275 | 26.5× | +$11,762 | +2293% | 1,267 |
| 5 | Hoopa #155/XY-P | Japanese Promo | $95 | $2,101 | 22.1× | +$1,981 | +1655% | 2,470 |
| 6 | Misty's Tears | Japanese Leaders' Stadium | $71 | $2,050 | 28.9× | +$1,954 | +2035% | 1,618 |
| 7 | Psyduck #199 | Japanese Mega Dream ex | $19 | $62 | 3.3× | +$18 | +40% | 5,621 |
| 8 | Gengar #5 | Fossil | $119 | $3,526 | 29.6× | +$3,381 | +2342% | 698 |
| 9 | Charizard #4 | Base Set 2 | $320 | $8,729 | 27.3× | +$8,360 | +2261% | 587 |
| 10 | Oricorio EX #24 | Promo | $12 | $90 | 7.5× | +$53 | +142% | 4,887 |
Highest Upside Picks
Ranked primarily by PSA 10 premium. Vintage Base Set holos produce 10–22× multiples that modern cards cannot match. Be prepared to hold the slab for months while finding the right buyer.
| # | Card | Set | Raw | PSA 10 | Mult. | Net Profit | ROI | Vol / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dark Charizard #6 | Japanese Rocket Gang | $145 | $4,264 | 29.4× | +$4,094 | +2408% | 1,084 |
| 2 | Ancient Mew | Promo | $118 | $3,000 | 25.4× | +$2,857 | +2002% | 2,714 |
| 3 | Charizard #4 | Base Set | $463 | $12,275 | 26.5× | +$11,762 | +2293% | 1,267 |
| 4 | Gengar #5 | Fossil | $119 | $3,526 | 29.6× | +$3,381 | +2342% | 698 |
| 5 | Charizard #4 | Base Set 2 | $320 | $8,729 | 27.3× | +$8,360 | +2261% | 587 |
| 6 | Misty's Tears | Japanese Leaders' Stadium | $71 | $2,050 | 28.9× | +$1,954 | +2035% | 1,618 |
| 7 | Magikarp #XY143 | Promo | $88 | $2,504 | 28.5× | +$2,391 | +2113% | 533 |
| 8 | Hoopa #155/XY-P | Japanese Promo | $95 | $2,101 | 22.1× | +$1,981 | +1655% | 2,470 |
| 9 | Armored Mewtwo #365/SM-P | Japanese Promo | $49 | $1,161 | 23.7× | +$1,086 | +1463% | 3,214 |
| 10 | Umbreon #197 | Japanese Crossing the Ruins | $271 | $6,450 | 23.8× | +$6,129 | +1911% | 683 |
Easiest to Sell Picks
Ranked primarily by graded market depth. Modern alt arts and rainbow rares with 3,000–6,000+ annual PSA 10 sales give the best chance of a fast exit — important if you're grading in volume.
| # | Card | Set | Raw | PSA 10 | Mult. | Net Profit | ROI | Vol / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psyduck #199 | Japanese Mega Dream ex | $19 | $62 | 3.3× | +$18 | +40% | 5,621 |
| 2 | Oricorio EX #24 | Promo | $12 | $90 | 7.5× | +$53 | +142% | 4,887 |
| 3 | Mega Charizard X EX #23 | Promo | $38 | $165 | 4.3× | +$102 | +163% | 4,425 |
| 4 | Armored Mewtwo #365/SM-P | Japanese Promo | $49 | $1,161 | 23.7× | +$1,086 | +1463% | 3,214 |
| 5 | Ancient Mew | Promo | $118 | $3,000 | 25.4× | +$2,857 | +2002% | 2,714 |
| 6 | Mega Gengar ex #230 | Japanese Mega Dream ex | $22 | $72 | 3.3× | +$25 | +53% | 4,245 |
| 7 | Hoopa #155/XY-P | Japanese Promo | $95 | $2,101 | 22.1× | +$1,981 | +1655% | 2,470 |
| 8 | Slowbro #87 | Japanese Abyss Eye | $8.00 | $32 | 4× | +$-1.00 | +-2% | 3,864 |
| 9 | Mega Dragonite ex #246 | Japanese Mega Dream ex | $173 | $262 | 1.5× | +$64 | +32% | 3,757 |
| 10 | Pikachu Birthday #24 | Celebrations | $34 | $218 | 6.4× | +$158 | +267% | 3,501 |
This Week's Top Pick
The Sweet Spot list's #1 card is this week's featured pick.
Full 20-Card Reference
All 20 cards sorted by Sweet Spot ranking. Use as a quick price reference.
| Card | Set | Raw | PSA 10 | ROI | Vol / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ancient Mew | Promo | $118 | $3,000 | +2002% | 2,714 |
| Armored Mewtwo #365/SM-P | Japanese Promo | $49 | $1,161 | +1463% | 3,214 |
| Dark Charizard #6 | Japanese Rocket Gang | $145 | $4,264 | +2408% | 1,084 |
| Charizard #4 | Base Set | $463 | $12,275 | +2293% | 1,267 |
| Hoopa #155/XY-P | Japanese Promo | $95 | $2,101 | +1655% | 2,470 |
| Misty's Tears | Japanese Leaders' Stadium | $71 | $2,050 | +2035% | 1,618 |
| Psyduck #199 | Japanese Mega Dream ex | $19 | $62 | +40% | 5,621 |
| Gengar #5 | Fossil | $119 | $3,526 | +2342% | 698 |
| Charizard #4 | Base Set 2 | $320 | $8,729 | +2261% | 587 |
| Oricorio EX #24 | Promo | $12 | $90 | +142% | 4,887 |
| Sabrina's Gengar #94 | Japanese Challenge from the Darkness | $505 | $7,869 | +1317% | 2,294 |
| Blaine's Charizard #6 | Japanese Challenge from the Darkness | $165 | $3,527 | +1754% | 1,346 |
| Charizard VStar #SWSH262 | Promo | $76 | $1,400 | +1282% | 2,312 |
| Magikarp #XY143 | Promo | $88 | $2,504 | +2113% | 533 |
| Mega Charizard X EX #23 | Promo | $38 | $165 | +163% | 4,425 |
| Umbreon #197 | Japanese Crossing the Ruins | $271 | $6,450 | +1911% | 683 |
| Misty's Gyarados #130 | Japanese Leaders' Stadium | $50 | $1,440 | +1830% | 697 |
| Mega Gengar ex #230 | Japanese Mega Dream ex | $22 | $72 | +53% | 4,245 |
| Shining Lugia #SM82 | Promo | $106 | $2,424 | +1752% | 682 |
| Grimer #88 | Japanese Rocket Gang | $36 | $1,025 | +1580% | 956 |
PHP Price Benchmarks
Philippine Peso equivalents for the Sweet Spot top 10. Use when buying or selling locally.
| # | Card | Raw (SGD) | Raw (PHP) | PSA 10 (SGD) | PSA 10 (PHP) | Net Profit (PHP) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ancient Mew Promo | S$160 | ₱6,903 | S$4,080 | ₱175,500 | +₱167,135 |
| 2 | Armored Mewtwo #365/SM-P Japanese Promo | S$67 | ₱2,867 | S$1,579 | ₱67,919 | +₱63,531 |
| 3 | Dark Charizard #6 Japanese Rocket Gang | S$197 | ₱8,483 | S$5,799 | ₱249,444 | +₱239,499 |
| 4 | Charizard #4 Base Set | S$630 | ₱27,086 | S$16,694 | ₱718,088 | +₱688,077 |
| 5 | Hoopa #155/XY-P Japanese Promo | S$129 | ₱5,558 | S$2,857 | ₱122,909 | +₱115,889 |
| 6 | Misty's Tears Japanese Leaders' Stadium | S$97 | ₱4,154 | S$2,788 | ₱119,925 | +₱114,309 |
| 7 | Psyduck #199 Japanese Mega Dream ex | S$26 | ₱1,112 | S$84 | ₱3,627 | +₱1,053 |
| 8 | Gengar #5 Fossil | S$162 | ₱6,962 | S$4,795 | ₱206,271 | +₱197,789 |
| 9 | Charizard #4 Base Set 2 | S$435 | ₱18,720 | S$11,871 | ₱510,647 | +₱489,060 |
| 10 | Oricorio EX #24 Promo | S$16 | ₱702 | S$122 | ₱5,265 | +₱3,101 |
SGD at 1.36 USD/SGD · PHP at 58.5 USD/PHP (May 2026). Net profit excludes middleman fees. Add ₱580–1,740/card for Singapore-based middleman costs. Use tcgTalk Price Comparison for card-level pricing.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do Filipino collectors send cards for grading?
The most common route is through Singapore-based middlemen who consolidate submissions to PSA Japan or the US. Philippine-based grading communities on Facebook and Telegram also organise local batch collections. Turnaround is typically 3–6 months for PSA Economy.
How are the three lists different?
Sweet Spot balances return and liquidity. Highest Upside ranks by PSA 10 premium — vintage holos dominate. Easiest to Sell ranks by annual graded sales volume — modern alt arts dominate.
What PSA fee do you use?
$25 (under $500) · $50 ($200–$999) · $150 ($1,000+). Add S$10–30 for Singapore middlemen — that's roughly ₱580–1,740 additional per card.
Should I grade a card just because it's on one of these lists?
Only if you have a near-mint raw copy. ROI assumes PSA 10. A PSA 8 typically sells below the raw price on most cards here.
Data from PriceCharting CSV exports. USD prices; SGD at 1.36; PHP at 58.5. ROI assumes PSA Economy/Standard and a PSA 10 result. Updated Sep 19, 2026.
Browse All Gradeable Cards
Full dataset from PriceCharting — 48,520 cards with PSA 10 price data. Sort by PSA 10 gain, transaction volume, or ROI.
| # ▼ | Card ▼ | Set | Raw Price (₱) ⇅ | PSA 10 (₱) ⇅ | Net Gain ⇅ | ROI % ⇅ | Vol / yr ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Illustrator Pikachu | Japanese Promo | ₱34,257,600 | ₱964,782,000 | +₱930,515,625 | +2,716% | 11 |
| 2 | Pikachu #52 | 30th Celebration | ₱644 | ₱5,090 | +₱2,984 | +143% | 6,207 |
| 3 | Psyduck #199 | Japanese Mega Dream ex | ₱1,112 | ₱3,627 | +₱1,053 | +40% | 5,621 |
| 4 | Oricorio EX #24 | Promo | ₱702 | ₱5,265 | +₱3,101 | +142% | 4,887 |
| 5 | Mega Charizard X EX #23 | Promo | ₱2,223 | ₱9,653 | +₱5,967 | +163% | 4,425 |
| 6 | Mega Gengar ex #230 | Japanese Mega Dream ex | ₱1,287 | ₱4,212 | +₱1,463 | +53% | 4,245 |
| 7 | Slowbro #87 | Japanese Abyss Eye | ₱468 | ₱1,872 | -₱58 | -2% | 3,864 |
| 8 | Mega Dragonite ex #246 | Japanese Mega Dream ex | ₱10,121 | ₱15,327 | +₱3,744 | +32% | 3,757 |
| 9 | Hiroshima's Pikachu #261/SV-P | Japanese Promo | ₱8,190 | ₱12,753 | +₱3,101 | +32% | 3,649 |
| 10 | Piplup #42 | Promo | ₱761 | ₱3,042 | +₱819 | +38% | 3,582 |
| 11 | Pikachu Birthday #24 | Celebrations | ₱1,989 | ₱12,753 | +₱9,243 | +267% | 3,501 |
| 12 | Mega Lucario EX #33 | Promo | ₱819 | ₱4,037 | +₱1,755 | +78% | 3,464 |
| 13 | Mega Darkrai ex #114 | Japanese Abyss Eye | ₱10,062 | ₱16,380 | +₱4,856 | +42% | 3,431 |
| 14 | Mega Gardevoir EX #32 | Promo | ₱468 | ₱3,510 | +₱1,580 | +81% | 3,411 |
| 15 | Fukuoka's Pikachu #289/SV-P | Japanese Promo | ₱7,196 | ₱10,296 | +₱1,697 | +19% | 3,232 |
| 16 | Mega Dragonite ex #232 | Japanese Mega Dream ex | ₱878 | ₱3,335 | +₱995 | +43% | 3,221 |
| 17 | Armored Mewtwo #365/SM-P | Japanese Promo | ₱2,867 | ₱67,919 | +₱63,531 | +1,463% | 3,214 |
| 18 | Mega Rayquaza ex #110 | Japanese Storm Emeralda | ₱20,534 | ₱47,502 | +₱24,044 | +103% | 2,908 |
| 19 | Mega Gengar ex #269 | Ascended Heroes | ₱3,042 | ₱11,115 | +₱6,611 | +145% | 2,880 |
| 20 | Litten #44 | Promo | ₱410 | ₱2,340 | +₱468 | +25% | 2,816 |
| 21 | Mega Charizard X ex #125 | Phantasmal Flames | ₱44,168 | ₱108,518 | +₱61,425 | +131% | 2,755 |
| 22 | Mega Gengar ex #240 | Japanese Mega Dream ex | ₱19,013 | ₱29,952 | +₱8,015 | +36% | 2,741 |
| 23 | Moltres & Zapdos & Articuno GX #SM210 | Promo | ₱9,360 | ₱25,331 | +₱14,508 | +134% | 2,736 |
| 24 | Ancient Mew | Promo | ₱6,903 | ₱175,500 | +₱167,135 | +2,002% | 2,714 |
| 25 | Mega Dragonite ex #271 | Ascended Heroes | ₱2,282 | ₱8,483 | +₱4,739 | +127% | 2,694 |
| 26 | Mega Charizard X ex #223 | Japanese Mega Dream ex | ₱1,697 | ₱5,031 | +₱1,814 | +58% | 2,691 |
| 27 | Mewtwo & Mew GX #SM191 | Promo | ₱19,949 | ₱158,711 | +₱135,837 | +593% | 2,582 |
| 28 | Turtwig #40 | Promo | ₱410 | ₱2,340 | +₱410 | +22% | 2,517 |
| 29 | Pikachu ex #276 | Ascended Heroes | ₱55,107 | ₱126,477 | +₱68,445 | +118% | 2,491 |
| 30 | Hoopa #155/XY-P | Japanese Promo | ₱5,558 | ₱122,909 | +₱115,889 | +1,655% | 2,470 |
| 31 | Fennekin #85 | Japanese Ninja Spinner | ₱234 | ₱1,229 | -₱468 | -28% | 2,468 |
| 32 | Lugia V #186 | Silver Tempest | ₱26,910 | ₱74,120 | +₱44,285 | +149% | 2,460 |
| 33 | Team Rocket's Mimikyu #205 | Japanese Mega Dream ex | ₱351 | ₱2,925 | +₱1,112 | +62% | 2,421 |
| 34 | Goldeen #84 | Japanese Abyss Eye | ₱351 | ₱1,580 | -₱234 | -13% | 2,400 |
| 35 | Pikachu with Grey Felt Hat #85 | Promo | ₱60,548 | ₱165,263 | +₱95,940 | +138% | 2,389 |
| 36 | Pikachu #20/M-P | Japanese Promo | ₱1,521 | ₱5,265 | +₱2,282 | +76% | 2,317 |
| 37 | Charizard VStar #SWSH262 | Promo | ₱4,446 | ₱81,900 | +₱75,992 | +1,282% | 2,312 |
| 38 | Charizard VMAX #SV107 | Shining Fates | ₱7,371 | ₱14,625 | +₱5,850 | +66% | 2,309 |
| 39 | Sabrina's Gengar #94 | Japanese Challenge from the Darkness | ₱29,543 | ₱460,337 | +₱427,811 | +1,317% | 2,294 |
| 40 | N's Zekrom #210 | Japanese Mega Dream ex | ₱351 | ₱2,516 | +₱644 | +36% | 2,271 |
| 41 | Mega Greninja ex #116 | Chaos Rising | ₱9,945 | ₱27,905 | +₱16,556 | +145% | 2,235 |
| 42 | Rayquaza #SWSH029 | Promo | ₱644 | ₱20,826 | +₱18,779 | +893% | 2,184 |
| 43 | Magikarp #80 | Japanese Triplet Beat | ₱9,009 | ₱17,199 | +₱6,728 | +65% | 2,178 |
| 44 | Snorlax #76 | Japanese Double Blaze | ₱1,814 | ₱9,360 | +₱6,084 | +186% | 2,143 |
| 45 | Tohoku's Pikachu #260/SV-P | Japanese Promo | ₱6,026 | ₱12,987 | +₱5,499 | +74% | 2,093 |
| 46 | Mega Hawlucha ex #229 | Japanese Mega Dream ex | ₱351 | ₱2,282 | +₱468 | +27% | 2,069 |
| 47 | Mewtwo VSTAR #GG44 | Crown Zenith | ₱14,742 | ₱32,468 | +₱14,742 | +84% | 2,051 |
| 48 | Mega Gengar ex #284 | Ascended Heroes | ₱51,129 | ₱116,708 | +₱62,654 | +116% | 2,004 |
| 49 | Gengar #307 | Chinese Gem Pack 3 | ₱9,126 | ₱27,788 | +₱17,199 | +162% | 2,001 |
| 50 | Mega Charizard X ex #109 | Phantasmal Flames | ₱1,697 | ₱7,196 | +₱4,037 | +127% | 2,001 |
USD prices converted to PHP at 58.5. Data from PriceCharting. ROI assumes PSA 10 result.
