PSA vs BGS Grading: Alolan Exeggutor Value and Tips

Alolan Exeggutor card art from SM5 Ultra Prism

Image courtesy of TCGdex.net

PSA vs BGS Grading: Alolan Exeggutor Value and Tips

For collectors and seasoned players alike, the Alolan Exeggutor from Ultra Prism is a fascinating case study in how grading can shape value and desire. This Rare Stage1 Dragon-type card, illustrated by Hasuno, carries a distinctive ability to accelerate your evolving strategy and a curious dual appeal: it’s not only about raw power, but about the nostalgia of Exeggcute’s big, palm-tree form taking center stage in a modern deck. As you weigh sending it to PSA or BGS, you’re really weighing two philosophical approaches to card ownership—one that seeks broad market consensus (PSA), and one that prizes granular subgrades and “Gem Mint” nuance (BGS). ⚡

The card’s specifics matter when grading boards consider whether this holo specimen earns a top-tier score. Alolan Exeggutor is a Stage1 with 130 HP, evolving from Exeggcute, and it wields two notable attacks: Exeggutor’s Paradise, which helps accelerate your evolving line by shuffling in an Alolan Exeggutor or Alolan Exeggutor-GX from your deck, and Draco Meteor Barrage, a powerful two-attack finisher that scales with Grass Energy on the board. The second attack’s wording—“Flip a coin for each Grass Energy attached to this Pokémon. This attack does 80 damage for each heads”—depends on coin luck as well as the energy you’ve invested. In battle, the card’s versatility makes it a strong mid-game setup piece, while the holo foil adds a tactile shimmer that collectors adore. The artwork’s energy and whimsy fit well within a nostalgia-forward deck builder’s aesthetic. 🎴

What PSA and BGS look for on this card

PSA: PSA grades cards on a 1–10 scale with emphasis on overall visual appeal, surface, centering, corners, and edges. The lack of subgrades means a PSA 9.5 or 10 is a clean, easily communicated hold for the market, but achieving a PSA 10 on a holo Ultra Prism card can be challenging due to surface and foiling nuances. For a Rare holo like Alolan Exeggutor, collectors often weigh the overall eye appeal and centering (PSA tends to favor consistent centering around the 55/45 to 60/40 range, with clean corners and minimal surface flaws). 💎
BGS: BGS adds subgrades for Centering, Edges, Corners, and Surface, giving buyers a granular view of mint condition. A BGS 9.5 Gem Mint with near-perfect subgrades can command strong interest, while a BGS 10 is rarer than a PSA 10 on holo Ultra Prism pieces. The presence of holo foil can push the Surface grade to the limit; tiny scratches or fingerprinting under bright light often separate a 9.5 from a 10. For this card, expect diligent inspection of the foil’s surface and the edge wear near the holo borders. 🎨
Market implications: The market treats PSA 10 and BGS 9.5–10 as premium outcomes, but holo cards from modern sets—especially rarities like Rare holo Alolan Exeggutor—can still fetch strong premiums when the subgrades align. In practice, many collectors value PSA for broad recognition and resale liquidity; BGS is prized by those who want the subgrade transparency and the prestige of a perfect 10 along with detailed quality metrics. ⚡

Pricing context: where this card sits now

Pricing data for Ultra Prism holos is instructive when considering grading decisions. Cardmarket’s holo pricing, as of late 2025, shows an average around €0.54 with a broad spread (low around €0.24, high around €0.69) and notable volatility, reflecting the broader niche status of Ultra Prism in today’s market. On TCGPlayer, holo non-foil and reverse-holo variants trend around $0.50–$0.60 on average, with the high end hitting roughly $2.93 in rare cases for the most pristine copies. These figures underscore a bigger truth: even excellent PSA 10 or BGS 9.5 copies of this card sit in the “modest value” tier within modern TCG economics, not a powerhouse like first-edition staples. Yet for a collector who loves Ultra Prism’s art and the Exeggutor lineage, the grade becomes a personal trophy—and a potential future light-up in a display or trade box. 🔥

From a gameplay perspective, Alolan Exeggutor’s capacity to accelerate its own evolution via Exeggutor’s Paradise makes it an appealing centerpiece in certain bench-heavy setups, especially in Expanded decks that leverage Exeggcute’s presence. The HP of 130 provides durability, while the Fairy-type weakness ×2 is a reminder of the deck’s counterplay landscape. The card’s expansive aura—two emblems of a mythical palm tree dragon—also means it’s a favorite for art and lore-driven collectors who value storytelling as much as raw performance. As you consider grading, you’re weighing not just numbers on a slab, but a piece of a shared memory from the Sun & Moon era. 🎴

Tips to maximize value when grading Alolan Exeggutor

Inspect centering meticulously. PSA and BGS both reward well-centered cards, but for a holo with foil glare, use a 20x loupe in good lighting to determine whether the alignment dips below ideal thresholds.
Preserve the surface. Holographic foils can trap micro-scratches and fingerprint residues. Keep the card in its original protective sleeve, away from fingerprints, oils, and humidity before submission.
Consider the target market. If you want broad resale liquidity, PSA tends to be the go-to for many buyers. If you’re chasing top-tier subgrades and a potential BGS 10 (rare), dedicated grading service focuses on surface characteristics under precise lighting with full documentation.
Photograph for submission. When you plan a submission, capture high-resolution images of both the front and back under daylight-balanced lighting to demonstrate integrity of the surface and corners.
Understand the variant’s impact. Although the Ultra Prism holo is the same card, some collectors favor holo variants over non-holo for value parity and display appeal. If your card is a holo, prepare for heightened scrutiny of surface quality during grading. ⚡

For readers shopping with an eye toward long-term collection value, the Alolan Exeggutor offers a delightful blend of playability and charm. Its Exeggcute-evolution mechanic remains a memorable nod to the franchise’s history, while Hasuno’s art captures the whimsy that makes Pokémon cards so collectible. If you’re weighing your next PSA or BGS submission, align your choice with your goals: liquidity and market recognition (PSA) or granular quality data and potential high subgrade scores (BGS). Either route can reward a well-preserved copy that reflects the card’s unique place in Ultra Prism’s sunlit seaside of memories. 💎

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