Is Willy Adames [Gold] #US281 worth grading?

Baseball · Baseball Cards 2018 Topps Update · full price guide →

Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw

A PSA 10 Willy Adames [Gold] #US281 sells for $53.70 against $4.89 raw: a $48.81 spread, 11× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($34.01) 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): $4.89
PSA 10: $53.70
PSA 9: $34.01
Gem premium: 11×
As of: Sep 3, 2026

Break-even by outcome and fee

Willy Adames [Gold] #US281: net result of grading versus selling raw, by outcome and fee tier
If it comes back…	Sells for	Economy / bulk (~$25.00)	Standard (~$50.00)	Express (~$150)
Gem — PSA 10	$53.70	+$23.81	−$1.19	−$101
PSA 9	$34.01	+$4.12	−$20.88	−$121
PSA 8	$26.88	−$3.01	−$28.01	−$128

Net = sale price − $4.89 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?

Willy Adames [Gold] #US281: expected value of submitting by gem probability
Chance it gems	Expected sale	Expected net (standard fee)
25%	$38.93	−$15.96
50%	$43.86	−$11.03
75%	$48.78	−$6.11

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 →

Willy Adames [Gold] #US281: top-grade value by grading company with centering tolerance
Grader	10 sells for	vs best	Front centering for a 10	Back
BGS 10	$70.00	best	55/45	70/30
PSA 10	$53.70	−$16.30	55/45	75/25
CGC 10	$32.00	−$38.00	55/45	75/25
SGC 10	$32.00	−$38.00	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 →

Willy Adames [Gold] #US281 graded prices by company and grade
Grade	PSA	CGC	BGS	SGC	Graded
10	$53.70	$32.00	$70.00	$32.00	—
9.5	—	—	—	—	$37.00
9	—	—	—	—	$34.01
8	—	—	—	—	$26.88

Swipe the table for the other grading companies →

Run your own numbers

Should I pay this?

Asking priceGrading fee

Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.

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Grading Willy Adames [Gold] #US281 — FAQ

Is Willy Adames [Gold] #US281 worth grading?

How much is a PSA 10 Willy Adames [Gold] #US281 worth compared with raw?

A PSA 10 Willy Adames [Gold] #US281 (Baseball Cards 2018 Topps Update) sells for about $53.70 versus $4.89 for a raw near-mint copy — a 11× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.

Which grading company is best for Willy Adames [Gold] #US281?

By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $70.00, ahead of PSA 10 at $53.70. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.

What centering does Willy Adames [Gold] #US281 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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