Is Max Scherzer #52 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 2018 Topps Living · full price guide →
Grading rarely pays for this card
PSA 10 copies of Max Scherzer #52 sell for $26.75, only $22.17 above the $4.58 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($5.74) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
- Raw (NM)
- $4.58
- PSA 10
- $26.75
- PSA 9
- $5.74
- Gem premium
- 5.8×
- 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 | $26.75 | −$2.83 | −$27.83 | −$128 |
| PSA 9 | $5.74 | −$23.84 | −$48.84 | −$149 |
| PSA 8 | $3.25 | −$26.33 | −$51.33 | −$151 |
Net = sale price − $4.58 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% | $10.99 | −$43.59 |
| 50% | $16.25 | −$38.34 |
| 75% | $21.50 | −$33.08 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
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 | $35.00 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $26.75 | −$8.25 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $16.00 | −$19.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $16.00 | −$19.00 | 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 Max Scherzer #52 — FAQ
Is Max Scherzer #52 worth grading?
PSA 10 copies of Max Scherzer #52 sell for $26.75, only $22.17 above the $4.58 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($5.74) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
How much is a PSA 10 Max Scherzer #52 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Max Scherzer #52 (Baseball Cards 2018 Topps Living) sells for about $26.75 versus $4.58 for a raw near-mint copy — a 5.8× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Max Scherzer #52?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $35.00, ahead of PSA 10 at $26.75. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Max Scherzer #52 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.
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