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: May 5 – May 10, 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 | Charizard #4 (Holo) | Base Set (Unlimited) | $385 | $8,500 | 22.1× | +$8,065 | +1854% | 1,240 |
| 2 | Pikachu VMAX (Rainbow) | Vivid Voltage | $55 | $195 | 3.5× | +$115 | +144% | 6,150 |
| 3 | Charizard #4 (Holo) | Base Set (1st Edition) | $2,500 | $45,000 | 18× | +$42,350 | +1598% | 580 |
| 4 | Umbreon VMAX (Alt Art) | Evolving Skies | $92 | $365 | 4× | +$248 | +212% | 4,820 |
| 5 | Rayquaza VMAX (Alt Art) | Evolving Skies | $68 | $265 | 3.9× | +$172 | +185% | 4,210 |
| 6 | Charizard V (Alt Art) | Champion's Path | $82 | $315 | 3.8× | +$208 | +194% | 3,870 |
| 7 | Charizard VMAX (Rainbow) | Darkness Ablaze | $65 | $240 | 3.7× | +$150 | +167% | 3,600 |
| 8 | Charizard ex (SAR) | Obsidian Flames | $52 | $188 | 3.6× | +$111 | +144% | 3,400 |
| 9 | Charizard ex (SAR) | Pokémon 151 | $65 | $225 | 3.5× | +$135 | +150% | 3,100 |
| 10 | Lugia (1st Edition) | Neo Genesis | $410 | $4,250 | 10.4× | +$3,790 | +824% | 890 |
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 | Charizard #4 (Holo) | Base Set (Unlimited) | $385 | $8,500 | 22.1× | +$8,065 | +1854% | 1,240 |
| 2 | Charizard #4 (Holo) | Base Set (1st Edition) | $2,500 | $45,000 | 18× | +$42,350 | +1598% | 580 |
| 3 | Pikachu VMAX (Rainbow) | Vivid Voltage | $55 | $195 | 3.5× | +$115 | +144% | 6,150 |
| 4 | Lugia (1st Edition) | Neo Genesis | $410 | $4,250 | 10.4× | +$3,790 | +824% | 890 |
| 5 | Umbreon VMAX (Alt Art) | Evolving Skies | $92 | $365 | 4× | +$248 | +212% | 4,820 |
| 6 | Blastoise #2 (Holo) | Base Set (1st Edition) | $450 | $3,800 | 8.4× | +$3,300 | +660% | 620 |
| 7 | Rayquaza VMAX (Alt Art) | Evolving Skies | $68 | $265 | 3.9× | +$172 | +185% | 4,210 |
| 8 | Charizard V (Alt Art) | Champion's Path | $82 | $315 | 3.8× | +$208 | +194% | 3,870 |
| 9 | Gyarados #6 (Holo) | Base Set (1st Edition) | $200 | $1,800 | 9× | +$1,550 | +620% | 480 |
| 10 | Alakazam #1 (Holo) | Base Set (1st Edition) | $180 | $1,600 | 8.9× | +$1,370 | +596% | 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 | Pikachu VMAX (Rainbow) | Vivid Voltage | $55 | $195 | 3.5× | +$115 | +144% | 6,150 |
| 2 | Umbreon VMAX (Alt Art) | Evolving Skies | $92 | $365 | 4× | +$248 | +212% | 4,820 |
| 3 | Rayquaza VMAX (Alt Art) | Evolving Skies | $68 | $265 | 3.9× | +$172 | +185% | 4,210 |
| 4 | Charizard V (Alt Art) | Champion's Path | $82 | $315 | 3.8× | +$208 | +194% | 3,870 |
| 5 | Charizard VMAX (Rainbow) | Darkness Ablaze | $65 | $240 | 3.7× | +$150 | +167% | 3,600 |
| 6 | Charizard #4 (Holo) | Base Set (Unlimited) | $385 | $8,500 | 22.1× | +$8,065 | +1854% | 1,240 |
| 7 | Charizard ex (SAR) | Obsidian Flames | $52 | $188 | 3.6× | +$111 | +144% | 3,400 |
| 8 | Charizard ex (SAR) | Pokémon 151 | $65 | $225 | 3.5× | +$135 | +150% | 3,100 |
| 9 | Mewtwo VSTAR (Rainbow) | Pokémon GO | $35 | $120 | 3.4× | +$60 | +100% | 2,800 |
| 10 | Charizard #4 (Holo) | Base Set (1st Edition) | $2,500 | $45,000 | 18× | +$42,350 | +1598% | 580 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charizard #4 (Holo) | Base Set (Unlimited) | $385 | $8,500 | +1854% | 1,240 |
| Pikachu VMAX (Rainbow) | Vivid Voltage | $55 | $195 | +144% | 6,150 |
| Charizard #4 (Holo) | Base Set (1st Edition) | $2,500 | $45,000 | +1598% | 580 |
| Umbreon VMAX (Alt Art) | Evolving Skies | $92 | $365 | +212% | 4,820 |
| Rayquaza VMAX (Alt Art) | Evolving Skies | $68 | $265 | +185% | 4,210 |
| Charizard V (Alt Art) | Champion's Path | $82 | $315 | +194% | 3,870 |
| Charizard VMAX (Rainbow) | Darkness Ablaze | $65 | $240 | +167% | 3,600 |
| Charizard ex (SAR) | Obsidian Flames | $52 | $188 | +144% | 3,400 |
| Charizard ex (SAR) | Pokémon 151 | $65 | $225 | +150% | 3,100 |
| Lugia (1st Edition) | Neo Genesis | $410 | $4,250 | +824% | 890 |
| Mewtwo VSTAR (Rainbow) | Pokémon GO | $35 | $120 | +100% | 2,800 |
| Pikachu ex (SAR) | Pokémon 151 | $55 | $185 | +131% | 2,600 |
| Umbreon VMAX SIR | Eevee Heroes (JP) | $158 | $595 | +225% | 2,100 |
| Blastoise #2 (Holo) | Base Set (1st Edition) | $450 | $3,800 | +660% | 620 |
| Gardevoir ex (SAR) | Scarlet & Violet | $35 | $120 | +100% | 2,400 |
| Mew ex (SAR) | Pokémon 151 | $45 | $155 | +121% | 2,200 |
| Gyarados #6 (Holo) | Base Set (1st Edition) | $200 | $1,800 | +620% | 480 |
| Alakazam #1 (Holo) | Base Set (1st Edition) | $180 | $1,600 | +596% | 520 |
| Venusaur #15 (Holo) | Base Set (1st Edition) | $380 | $2,800 | +551% | 410 |
| Miraidon ex (SAR) | Scarlet & Violet | $32 | $110 | +93% | 1,800 |
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 | Charizard #4 (Holo) Base Set (Unlimited) | S$524 | ₱22,523 | S$11,560 | ₱497,250 | +₱471,803 |
| 2 | Pikachu VMAX (Rainbow) Vivid Voltage | S$75 | ₱3,218 | S$265 | ₱11,408 | +₱6,728 |
| 3 | Charizard #4 (Holo) Base Set (1st Edition) | S$3,400 | ₱146,250 | S$61,200 | ₱2,632,500 | +₱2,477,475 |
| 4 | Umbreon VMAX (Alt Art) Evolving Skies | S$125 | ₱5,382 | S$496 | ₱21,353 | +₱14,508 |
| 5 | Rayquaza VMAX (Alt Art) Evolving Skies | S$92 | ₱3,978 | S$360 | ₱15,503 | +₱10,062 |
| 6 | Charizard V (Alt Art) Champion's Path | S$112 | ₱4,797 | S$428 | ₱18,428 | +₱12,168 |
| 7 | Charizard VMAX (Rainbow) Darkness Ablaze | S$88 | ₱3,803 | S$326 | ₱14,040 | +₱8,775 |
| 8 | Charizard ex (SAR) Obsidian Flames | S$71 | ₱3,042 | S$256 | ₱10,998 | +₱6,494 |
| 9 | Charizard ex (SAR) Pokémon 151 | S$88 | ₱3,803 | S$306 | ₱13,163 | +₱7,898 |
| 10 | Lugia (1st Edition) Neo Genesis | S$558 | ₱23,985 | S$5,780 | ₱248,625 | +₱221,715 |
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 May 10, 2026.