Is Tim Elko [Aqua Rainbow Foil] #US224 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 2025 Topps Update · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 8.2× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Tim Elko [Aqua Rainbow Foil] #US224 sells for $60.46 against $7.38 raw: a $53.08 spread, 8.2× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($21.12) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $7.38
- PSA 10
- $60.46
- PSA 9
- $21.12
- Gem premium
- 8.2×
- 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 | $60.46 | +$28.08 | +$3.08 | −$96.92 |
| PSA 9 | $21.12 | −$11.26 | −$36.26 | −$136 |
| PSA 8 | $11.52 | −$20.86 | −$45.86 | −$146 |
Net = sale price − $7.38 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% | $30.95 | −$26.43 |
| 50% | $40.79 | −$16.59 |
| 75% | $50.63 | −$6.76 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 92%. 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 | $79.00 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $60.46 | −$18.54 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $36.00 | −$43.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $36.00 | −$43.00 | 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.
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Grading Tim Elko [Aqua Rainbow Foil] #US224 — FAQ
Is Tim Elko [Aqua Rainbow Foil] #US224 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Tim Elko [Aqua Rainbow Foil] #US224 sells for $60.46 against $7.38 raw: a $53.08 spread, 8.2× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($21.12) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
How much is a PSA 10 Tim Elko [Aqua Rainbow Foil] #US224 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Tim Elko [Aqua Rainbow Foil] #US224 (Baseball Cards 2025 Topps Update) sells for about $60.46 versus $7.38 for a raw near-mint copy — a 8.2× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Tim Elko [Aqua Rainbow Foil] #US224?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $79.00, ahead of PSA 10 at $60.46. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Tim Elko [Aqua Rainbow Foil] #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 [Aqua Rainbow Foil] #US224 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Tim Elko [Aqua Rainbow Foil] #US224 breaks even when it gems about 92% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $21.12).
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