Is Darryl Strawberry #HT-DST worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 2018 Topps High Tek · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Darryl Strawberry #HT-DST sells for $39.00 against $3.04 raw: a $35.96 spread, 13× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($35.90) 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)
- $3.04
- Grade 9.5
- $39.00
- PSA 9
- $35.90
- Gem premium
- 13×
- 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 — Grade 9.5 | $39.00 | +$10.96 | −$14.04 | −$114 |
| PSA 9 | $35.90 | +$7.86 | −$17.14 | −$117 |
Net = sale price − $3.04 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% | $36.67 | −$16.37 |
| 50% | $37.45 | −$15.59 |
| 75% | $38.23 | −$14.81 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
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Grading Darryl Strawberry #HT-DST — FAQ
Is Darryl Strawberry #HT-DST worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Darryl Strawberry #HT-DST sells for $39.00 against $3.04 raw: a $35.96 spread, 13× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($35.90) 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.
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