Is Tim Elko [Golden Mirror] #US224 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 2025 Topps Update · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Tim Elko [Golden Mirror] #US224 sells for $154 against $30.00 raw: a $124 spread, 5.1× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($55.20) clears the raw price after an economy-tier ~$25 fee, so a near-miss still comes out ahead. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $30.00
- PSA 10
- $154
- PSA 9
- $55.20
- Gem premium
- 5.1×
- As of
- Sep 3, 2026
Break-even by outcome and fee
| If it comes back… | Sells for | Economy / bulk (~$25.00) | Standard (~$50.00) | Express (~$150) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gem — PSA 10 | $154 | +$98.80 | +$73.80 | −$26.20 |
| PSA 9 | $55.20 | +$0.20 | −$24.80 | −$125 |
| PSA 8 | $31.52 | −$23.48 | −$48.48 | −$148 |
Net = sale price − $30.00 raw value − fee. Fee tiers are illustrative; plug your grader's current price into the calculator below.
Expected value — how often does it need to gem?
| Chance it gems | Expected sale | Expected net (standard fee) |
|---|---|---|
| 25% | $79.85 | −$0.15 |
| 50% | $105 | +$24.50 |
| 75% | $129 | +$49.15 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 25%. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses — measure it before you decide.
Which grader pays the most — and what a 10 takes
All centering standards →| Grader | 10 sells for | vs best | Front centering for a 10 | Back |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BGS 10 | $200 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $154 | −$46.20 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $92.00 | −$108 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $92.00 | −$108 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
Tolerances are each company's published centering standard for its top grade; surface, corners and edges must also be clean. Centering is the one you can measure yourself before you pay.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →Swipe the table for the other grading companies →
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Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
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Grading Tim Elko [Golden Mirror] #US224 — FAQ
Is Tim Elko [Golden Mirror] #US224 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Tim Elko [Golden Mirror] #US224 sells for $154 against $30.00 raw: a $124 spread, 5.1× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($55.20) clears the raw price after an economy-tier ~$25 fee, so a near-miss still comes out ahead. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
How much is a PSA 10 Tim Elko [Golden Mirror] #US224 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Tim Elko [Golden Mirror] #US224 (Baseball Cards 2025 Topps Update) sells for about $154 versus $30.00 for a raw near-mint copy — a 5.1× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Tim Elko [Golden Mirror] #US224?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $200, ahead of PSA 10 at $154. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Tim Elko [Golden Mirror] #US224 need for a BGS 10?
BGS publishes 55/45 front and 70/30 back centering as the tolerance for a 10 (Gem Mint). Off-center copies are capped below the top grade regardless of surface — measure yours before paying the fee.
What gem rate makes grading Tim Elko [Golden Mirror] #US224 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Tim Elko [Golden Mirror] #US224 breaks even when it gems about 25% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $55.20).
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