![Samuel Basallo [Gold] #SE-18 (Baseball Cards 2026 Topps Chrome Shadow Etch) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/eYQAAeSwIoZqcinz/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Samuel Basallo [Gold] #SE-18 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 2026 Topps Chrome Shadow Etch · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Samuel Basallo [Gold] #SE-18 sells for $266 against $49.76 raw: a $216 spread, 5.3× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($89.79) 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)
- $49.76
- PSA 10
- $266
- PSA 9
- $89.79
- Gem premium
- 5.3×
- 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 | $266 | +$191 | +$166 | +$65.88 |
| PSA 9 | $89.79 | +$15.03 | −$9.97 | −$110 |
| PSA 8 | $50.39 | −$24.37 | −$49.37 | −$149 |
Net = sale price − $49.76 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% | $134 | +$33.99 |
| 50% | $178 | +$77.96 |
| 75% | $222 | +$122 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 6%. 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 | $345 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $266 | −$79.36 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $159 | −$186 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $159 | −$186 | 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 →
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 2026 Topps Chrome Shadow Etch cards worth checking
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![Shohei Ohtani [Gold] #SE-1 2026 Topps Chrome Shadow Etch card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/tKsAAeSwMf5qki4X/s-l500.jpg)
![Jacob Misiorowski [Gold] #SE-16 2026 Topps Chrome Shadow Etch card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/QZQAAeSwMCBqdQzk/s-l500.jpg)
![Munetaka Murakami [Gold] #SE-14 2026 Topps Chrome Shadow Etch card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/TUAAAeSwrWpqh1mV/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Samuel Basallo [Gold] #SE-18 — FAQ
Is Samuel Basallo [Gold] #SE-18 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Samuel Basallo [Gold] #SE-18 sells for $266 against $49.76 raw: a $216 spread, 5.3× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($89.79) 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 Samuel Basallo [Gold] #SE-18 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Samuel Basallo [Gold] #SE-18 (Baseball Cards 2026 Topps Chrome Shadow Etch) sells for about $266 versus $49.76 for a raw near-mint copy — a 5.3× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Samuel Basallo [Gold] #SE-18?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $345, ahead of PSA 10 at $266. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Samuel Basallo [Gold] #SE-18 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 Samuel Basallo [Gold] #SE-18 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Samuel Basallo [Gold] #SE-18 breaks even when it gems about 6% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $89.79).
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