Is Steve Slaton [Autograph] #234 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 2009 Topps Magic · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 7.6× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Steve Slaton [Autograph] #234 sells for $98.79 against $12.99 raw: a $85.80 spread, 7.6× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($29.28) 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)
- $12.99
- PSA 10
- $98.79
- PSA 9
- $29.28
- Gem premium
- 7.6×
- 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 | $98.79 | +$60.80 | +$35.80 | −$64.20 |
| PSA 9 | $29.28 | −$8.71 | −$33.71 | −$134 |
| PSA 8 | $17.80 | −$20.19 | −$45.19 | −$145 |
Net = sale price − $12.99 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% | $46.66 | −$16.33 |
| 50% | $64.03 | +$1.04 |
| 75% | $81.41 | +$18.42 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 48%. 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 | $128 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $98.79 | −$29.21 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $59.00 | −$69.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $59.00 | −$69.00 | 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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Full set checklist →Grading Steve Slaton [Autograph] #234 — FAQ
Is Steve Slaton [Autograph] #234 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Steve Slaton [Autograph] #234 sells for $98.79 against $12.99 raw: a $85.80 spread, 7.6× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($29.28) 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 Steve Slaton [Autograph] #234 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Steve Slaton [Autograph] #234 (Football Cards 2009 Topps Magic) sells for about $98.79 versus $12.99 for a raw near-mint copy — a 7.6× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Steve Slaton [Autograph] #234?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $128, ahead of PSA 10 at $98.79. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Steve Slaton [Autograph] #234 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 Steve Slaton [Autograph] #234 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Steve Slaton [Autograph] #234 breaks even when it gems about 48% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $29.28).
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