![Austin Meadows [Gold] #US34 (Baseball Cards 2018 Topps Update) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/WnIAAeSwI-5qGwcu/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Austin Meadows [Gold] #US34 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 2018 Topps Update · full price guide →
Grading rarely pays for this card
PSA 10 copies of Austin Meadows [Gold] #US34 sell for $22.00, only $20.73 above the $1.27 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($18.00) 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)
- $1.27
- PSA 10
- $22.00
- PSA 9
- $18.00
- Gem premium
- 17×
- 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 | $22.00 | −$4.27 | −$29.27 | −$129 |
| PSA 9 | $18.00 | −$8.27 | −$33.27 | −$133 |
| PSA 8 | $16.00 | −$10.27 | −$35.27 | −$135 |
Net = sale price − $1.27 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% | $19.00 | −$32.27 |
| 50% | $20.00 | −$31.27 |
| 75% | $21.00 | −$30.27 |
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 | $29.00 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $22.00 | −$7.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $13.00 | −$16.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $13.00 | −$16.00 | 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.
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.
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Grading Austin Meadows [Gold] #US34 — FAQ
Is Austin Meadows [Gold] #US34 worth grading?
PSA 10 copies of Austin Meadows [Gold] #US34 sell for $22.00, only $20.73 above the $1.27 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($18.00) 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 Austin Meadows [Gold] #US34 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Austin Meadows [Gold] #US34 (Baseball Cards 2018 Topps Update) sells for about $22.00 versus $1.27 for a raw near-mint copy — a 17× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Austin Meadows [Gold] #US34?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $29.00, ahead of PSA 10 at $22.00. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Austin Meadows [Gold] #US34 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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