Is Troy Melton #CBA-TM worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 2026 Topps Chrome Black Autograph · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Troy Melton #CBA-TM sells for $257 against $50.00 raw: a $207 spread, 5.1× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($88.67) 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)
- $50.00
- PSA 10
- $257
- PSA 9
- $88.67
- Gem premium
- 5.1×
- As of
- Sep 4, 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 | $257 | +$182 | +$157 | +$57.32 |
| PSA 9 | $88.67 | +$13.67 | −$11.33 | −$111 |
| PSA 8 | $50.17 | −$24.83 | −$49.83 | −$150 |
Net = sale price − $50.00 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% | $131 | +$30.83 |
| 50% | $173 | +$73.00 |
| 75% | $215 | +$115 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 7%. 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 | $335 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $257 | −$77.68 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $154 | −$181 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $154 | −$181 | 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 Troy Melton #CBA-TM — FAQ
Is Troy Melton #CBA-TM worth grading?
A PSA 10 Troy Melton #CBA-TM sells for $257 against $50.00 raw: a $207 spread, 5.1× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($88.67) 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 Troy Melton #CBA-TM worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Troy Melton #CBA-TM (Baseball Cards 2026 Topps Chrome Black Autograph) sells for about $257 versus $50.00 for a raw near-mint copy — a 5.1× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Troy Melton #CBA-TM?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $335, ahead of PSA 10 at $257. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Troy Melton #CBA-TM 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 Troy Melton #CBA-TM break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Troy Melton #CBA-TM breaks even when it gems about 7% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $88.67).
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