We analyzed 1,000+ Pokémon cards with AI. The average predicted grade was 8.6/10, with 18.3% reaching a perfect Gem Mint 10 and 70% landing at Mint 9 or higher. Pokémon scores higher on average than most sports cards — but the vintage-vs-modern gap is huge.
Pokémon predicted-grade distribution
| Predicted grade | Share |
|---|---|
| 10 (Gem Mint) | 18.3% |
| 9 (Mint) | ~41% |
| 8 | 10% |
| 7 or below | ~16% |
Vintage vs modern
Vintage Pokémon (e.g. Base Set) had a 0% Gem Mint rate in our data — handling, edge wear and tight centering make a true 10 extremely rare. Modern sets like 151 (30.7% gem) and Scarlet & Violet (37.5%) produce perfect copies far more often. If you collect vintage, pre-grading isn't optional — it's how you avoid wasting submission fees.
What caps a Pokémon card's grade
- Centering — the most common reason a holo misses a 10.
- Surface — holo scratches and print lines on the foil.
- Corners & edges — whitening shows fast on dark borders.
Pre-screen your collection with AI Pokémon card grading, or see the full cross-game data in our State of Pre-Grading 2026 report.
Methodology
Based on AI pre-grading of 1,000+ recent Pokémon cards by TCGAI.PRO. AI predictions on the 1-10 scale, not official grades. Independent tool, not affiliated with any grading company.