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: Aug 3 – Aug 8, 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 | Machamp [1st Edition] #8 | Base Set | $13 | $4,009 | 308.4× | +$3,971 | +9999% | 870 |
| 2 | Erika's Bulbasaur [Glossy CoroCoro] #1 | Japanese Promo | $46 | $9,750 | 212× | +$9,679 | +9999% | 781 |
| 3 | Chansey #3 | Base Set | $22 | $8,700 | 395.5× | +$8,653 | +9999% | 751 |
| 4 | Vaporeon #12 | Jungle | $15 | $4,731 | 315.4× | +$4,691 | +9999% | 729 |
| 5 | Mega Charizard X EX #23 | Promo | $40 | $190 | 4.8× | +$125 | +191% | 8,457 |
| 6 | Lapras #10 | Fossil | $13 | $3,834 | 294.9× | +$3,796 | +9999% | 706 |
| 7 | Dragonite #4 | Fossil | $77 | $13,190 | 171.3× | +$13,088 | +9999% | 656 |
| 8 | Clefairy #5 | Base Set | $20 | $4,569 | 228.5× | +$4,524 | +9959% | 680 |
| 9 | Kangaskhan #5 | Jungle | $8.00 | $5,000 | 625× | +$4,967 | +9999% | 568 |
| 10 | Empoleon LV.X #120 | Diamond & Pearl | $26 | $21,167 | 814.1× | +$21,116 | +9999% | 558 |
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 | Machamp [1st Edition] #8 | Base Set | $13 | $4,009 | 308.4× | +$3,971 | +9999% | 870 |
| 2 | Erika's Bulbasaur [Glossy CoroCoro] #1 | Japanese Promo | $46 | $9,750 | 212× | +$9,679 | +9999% | 781 |
| 3 | Chansey #3 | Base Set | $22 | $8,700 | 395.5× | +$8,653 | +9999% | 751 |
| 4 | Vaporeon #12 | Jungle | $15 | $4,731 | 315.4× | +$4,691 | +9999% | 729 |
| 5 | Lapras #10 | Fossil | $13 | $3,834 | 294.9× | +$3,796 | +9999% | 706 |
| 6 | Dragonite #4 | Fossil | $77 | $13,190 | 171.3× | +$13,088 | +9999% | 656 |
| 7 | Clefairy #5 | Base Set | $20 | $4,569 | 228.5× | +$4,524 | +9959% | 680 |
| 8 | Kangaskhan #5 | Jungle | $8.00 | $5,000 | 625× | +$4,967 | +9999% | 568 |
| 9 | Empoleon LV.X #120 | Diamond & Pearl | $26 | $21,167 | 814.1× | +$21,116 | +9999% | 558 |
| 10 | Mew #1 | Southern Islands | $305 | $85,001 | 278.7× | +$84,646 | +9999% | 520 |
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 | Mega Charizard X EX #23 | Promo | $40 | $190 | 4.8× | +$125 | +191% | 8,457 |
| 2 | Psyduck #199 | Japanese Mega Dream ex | $20 | $85 | 4.3× | +$40 | +89% | 6,698 |
| 3 | Oricorio EX #24 | Promo | $13 | $101 | 7.8× | +$63 | +166% | 6,041 |
| 4 | Mega Charizard X ex #223 | Japanese Mega Dream ex | $35 | $107 | 3.1× | +$47 | +78% | 6,036 |
| 5 | Pikachu #20/M-P | Japanese Promo | $28 | $100 | 3.6× | +$47 | +90% | 5,309 |
| 6 | Mega Gengar ex #269 | Ascended Heroes | $65 | $248 | 3.8× | +$159 | +177% | 4,787 |
| 7 | Mega Dragonite ex #232 | Japanese Mega Dream ex | $17 | $70 | 4.1× | +$28 | +67% | 4,319 |
| 8 | N's Zekrom #210 | Japanese Mega Dream ex | $7.00 | $46 | 6.6× | +$14 | +46% | 4,278 |
| 9 | Machamp [1st Edition] #8 | Base Set | $13 | $4,009 | 308.4× | +$3,971 | +9999% | 870 |
| 10 | Erika's Bulbasaur [Glossy CoroCoro] #1 | Japanese Promo | $46 | $9,750 | 212× | +$9,679 | +9999% | 781 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Machamp [1st Edition] #8 | Base Set | $13 | $4,009 | +9999% | 870 |
| Erika's Bulbasaur [Glossy CoroCoro] #1 | Japanese Promo | $46 | $9,750 | +9999% | 781 |
| Chansey #3 | Base Set | $22 | $8,700 | +9999% | 751 |
| Vaporeon #12 | Jungle | $15 | $4,731 | +9999% | 729 |
| Mega Charizard X EX #23 | Promo | $40 | $190 | +191% | 8,457 |
| Lapras #10 | Fossil | $13 | $3,834 | +9999% | 706 |
| Dragonite #4 | Fossil | $77 | $13,190 | +9999% | 656 |
| Clefairy #5 | Base Set | $20 | $4,569 | +9959% | 680 |
| Kangaskhan #5 | Jungle | $8.00 | $5,000 | +9999% | 568 |
| Empoleon LV.X #120 | Diamond & Pearl | $26 | $21,167 | +9999% | 558 |
| Pikachu #25 | Japanese Expansion Pack | $15 | $3,966 | +9754% | 737 |
| Mew #1 | Southern Islands | $305 | $85,001 | +9999% | 520 |
| Mewtwo #10 | Base Set | $21 | $4,100 | +8813% | 1,071 |
| Reshiram & Charizard GX #SM201 | Promo | $102 | $10,613 | +8242% | 582 |
| Charizard #11 | Evolutions | $61 | $6,114 | +7009% | 1,318 |
| Mewtwo #150 | Japanese Expansion Pack | $53 | $6,324 | +8008% | 521 |
| Pidgeot [1st Edition] #8 | Jungle | $59 | $6,536 | +7709% | 695 |
| Psyduck #199 | Japanese Mega Dream ex | $20 | $85 | +89% | 6,698 |
| Mew #9 | Promo | $94 | $9,000 | +7474% | 651 |
| Pikachu #RC29 | Generations | $93 | $8,625 | +7188% | 821 |
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 | Machamp [1st Edition] #8 Base Set | S$18 | ₱761 | S$5,452 | ₱234,527 | +₱232,304 |
| 2 | Erika's Bulbasaur [Glossy CoroCoro] #1 Japanese Promo | S$63 | ₱2,691 | S$13,260 | ₱570,375 | +₱566,222 |
| 3 | Chansey #3 Base Set | S$30 | ₱1,287 | S$11,832 | ₱508,950 | +₱506,201 |
| 4 | Vaporeon #12 Jungle | S$20 | ₱878 | S$6,434 | ₱276,764 | +₱274,424 |
| 5 | Mega Charizard X EX #23 Promo | S$54 | ₱2,340 | S$258 | ₱11,115 | +₱7,313 |
| 6 | Lapras #10 Fossil | S$18 | ₱761 | S$5,214 | ₱224,289 | +₱222,066 |
| 7 | Dragonite #4 Fossil | S$105 | ₱4,505 | S$17,938 | ₱771,615 | +₱765,648 |
| 8 | Clefairy #5 Base Set | S$27 | ₱1,170 | S$6,214 | ₱267,287 | +₱264,654 |
| 9 | Kangaskhan #5 Jungle | S$11 | ₱468 | S$6,800 | ₱292,500 | +₱290,570 |
| 10 | Empoleon LV.X #120 Diamond & Pearl | S$35 | ₱1,521 | S$28,787 | ₱1,238,270 | +₱1,235,286 |
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 Aug 8, 2026.
Browse All Gradeable Cards
Full dataset from PriceCharting — 47,846 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 | Mega Charizard X EX #23 | Promo | ₱2,340 | ₱11,115 | +₱7,313 | +191% | 8,457 |
| 2 | Illustrator Pikachu | Japanese Promo | ₱59,337,194 | ₱964,782,000 | +₱905,436,032 | +1,526% | 10 |
| 3 | Psyduck #199 | Japanese Mega Dream ex | ₱1,170 | ₱4,973 | +₱2,340 | +89% | 6,698 |
| 4 | Oricorio EX #24 | Promo | ₱761 | ₱5,909 | +₱3,686 | +166% | 6,041 |
| 5 | Mega Charizard X ex #223 | Japanese Mega Dream ex | ₱2,048 | ₱6,260 | +₱2,750 | +78% | 6,036 |
| 6 | Pikachu #20/M-P | Japanese Promo | ₱1,638 | ₱5,850 | +₱2,750 | +90% | 5,309 |
| 7 | Mega Gengar ex #269 | Ascended Heroes | ₱3,803 | ₱14,508 | +₱9,302 | +177% | 4,787 |
| 8 | Mega Dragonite ex #232 | Japanese Mega Dream ex | ₱995 | ₱4,095 | +₱1,638 | +67% | 4,319 |
| 9 | N's Zekrom #210 | Japanese Mega Dream ex | ₱410 | ₱2,691 | +₱819 | +46% | 4,278 |
| 10 | Mega Charizard X ex #109 | Phantasmal Flames | ₱1,580 | ₱7,839 | +₱4,739 | +155% | 4,091 |
| 11 | Mega Dragonite ex #271 | Ascended Heroes | ₱2,633 | ₱10,296 | +₱6,201 | +151% | 3,893 |
| 12 | Fukuoka's Pikachu #289/SV-P | Japanese Promo | ₱7,137 | ₱13,572 | +₱4,973 | +58% | 3,808 |
| 13 | Mega Gengar ex #230 | Japanese Mega Dream ex | ₱1,404 | ₱5,148 | +₱2,282 | +79% | 3,797 |
| 14 | Mega Lucario EX #33 | Promo | ₱936 | ₱5,850 | +₱3,452 | +146% | 3,725 |
| 15 | Magikarp #80 | Japanese Triplet Beat | ₱9,185 | ₱17,550 | +₱6,903 | +65% | 3,701 |
| 16 | Meowth #106 | Phantasmal Flames | ₱1,170 | ₱9,828 | +₱7,196 | +270% | 3,692 |
| 17 | Pikachu Birthday #24 | Celebrations | ₱2,165 | ₱12,519 | +₱8,892 | +247% | 3,631 |
| 18 | Meowth ex #121 | Perfect Order | ₱7,488 | ₱22,698 | +₱13,748 | +154% | 3,562 |
| 19 | Pikachu ex #276 | Ascended Heroes | ₱66,573 | ₱143,793 | +₱68,445 | +91% | 3,411 |
| 20 | Mega Gengar ex #240 | Japanese Mega Dream ex | ₱20,358 | ₱36,855 | +₱13,572 | +58% | 3,355 |
| 21 | Slowbro #87 | Japanese Abyss Eye | ₱585 | ₱3,744 | +₱1,755 | +86% | 3,346 |
| 22 | Bulbasaur #133 | Mega Evolution | ₱1,170 | ₱7,547 | +₱4,914 | +185% | 3,100 |
| 23 | Mega Charizard X ex #125 | Phantasmal Flames | ₱46,508 | ₱118,463 | +₱69,030 | +140% | 2,917 |
| 24 | Pikachu with Grey Felt Hat #85 | Promo | ₱61,425 | ₱169,650 | +₱99,450 | +142% | 2,896 |
| 25 | Mega Dragonite ex #290 | Ascended Heroes | ₱44,928 | ₱92,021 | +₱44,226 | +92% | 2,842 |
| 26 | Gengar #307 | Chinese Gem Pack 3 | ₱10,179 | ₱23,985 | +₱12,344 | +106% | 2,820 |
| 27 | Mega Dragonite ex #246 | Japanese Mega Dream ex | ₱12,344 | ₱20,358 | +₱5,031 | +33% | 2,817 |
| 28 | Clefairy #94 | Perfect Order | ₱1,463 | ₱10,589 | +₱7,605 | +260% | 2,792 |
| 29 | Team Rocket's Mewtwo ex #237 | Japanese Mega Dream ex | ₱7,722 | ₱14,099 | +₱4,914 | +53% | 2,777 |
| 30 | Team Rocket's Mewtwo ex #231 | Destined Rivals | ₱30,713 | ₱67,275 | +₱33,638 | +100% | 2,743 |
| 31 | Moltres & Zapdos & Articuno GX #SM210 | Promo | ₱9,302 | ₱26,910 | +₱16,146 | +150% | 2,728 |
| 32 | Ancient Mew | Promo | ₱6,201 | ₱169,650 | +₱161,987 | +2,114% | 2,673 |
| 33 | Tohoku's Pikachu #260/SV-P | Japanese Promo | ₱6,026 | ₱14,625 | +₱7,196 | +96% | 2,668 |
| 34 | Raikou ex #108 | Japanese Storm Emeralda | ₱4,329 | ₱23,283 | +₱17,492 | +304% | 2,639 |
| 35 | Psyduck #226 | Ascended Heroes | ₱4,563 | ₱23,810 | +₱17,784 | +296% | 2,637 |
| 36 | Mega Greninja ex #116 | Chaos Rising | ₱12,987 | ₱39,078 | +₱23,166 | +145% | 2,500 |
| 37 | Captain Pikachu #709 | Chinese Gem Pack | ₱13,046 | ₱48,438 | +₱32,468 | +204% | 2,453 |
| 38 | Charmander #38 | Promo | ₱2,282 | ₱10,881 | +₱7,137 | +191% | 2,366 |
| 39 | Mega Gardevior EX #32 | Promo | ₱468 | ₱3,569 | +₱1,638 | +84% | 2,270 |
| 40 | Mewtwo VSTAR #GG44 | Crown Zenith | ₱14,859 | ₱34,632 | +₱16,907 | +95% | 2,256 |
| 41 | Groudon #84 | Japanese Storm Emeralda | ₱1,755 | ₱10,647 | +₱7,430 | +231% | 2,211 |
| 42 | Hiroshima's Pikachu #261/SV-P | Japanese Promo | ₱7,664 | ₱19,247 | +₱10,121 | +110% | 2,209 |
| 43 | Mega Gengar ex #284 | Ascended Heroes | ₱65,579 | ₱129,929 | +₱55,575 | +75% | 2,202 |
| 44 | Ceruledge #1507 | Chinese Gem Pack 3 | ₱1,931 | ₱11,934 | +₱8,541 | +251% | 2,192 |
| 45 | Lugia V #186 | Silver Tempest | ₱30,069 | ₱83,363 | +₱50,369 | +153% | 2,172 |
| 46 | Mew ex #232 | Paldean Fates | ₱58,500 | ₱191,997 | +₱124,722 | +185% | 2,169 |
| 47 | Pikachu #5 | Celebrations | ₱351 | ₱94,829 | +₱93,074 | +5,216% | 2,164 |
| 48 | Mewtwo #52 | Promo | ₱2,867 | ₱37,031 | +₱32,702 | +754% | 2,161 |
| 49 | Kingdra Ex #131 | Promo | ₱4,856 | ₱22,289 | +₱15,912 | +251% | 2,131 |
| 50 | Mega Rayquaza ex #95 | Japanese Storm Emeralda | ₱3,042 | ₱17,609 | +₱13,046 | +288% | 2,117 |
USD prices converted to PHP at 58.5. Data from PriceCharting. ROI assumes PSA 10 result.
