Is Jay Johnstone #485 worth grading?
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Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Jay Johnstone #485 sells for $226 against $1.50 raw: a $224 spread, 151× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($50.00) 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)
- $1.50
- PSA 10
- $226
- PSA 9
- $50.00
- Gem premium
- 151×
- As of
- Sep 3, 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 | $226 | +$199 | +$174 | +$74.36 |
| PSA 9 | $50.00 | +$23.50 | −$1.50 | −$102 |
| PSA 8 | $17.36 | −$9.14 | −$34.14 | −$134 |
Net = sale price − $1.50 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% | $93.97 | +$42.47 |
| 50% | $138 | +$86.43 |
| 75% | $182 | +$130 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 1%. 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 | $294 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $226 | −$68.14 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $136 | −$158 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $136 | −$158 | 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 Jay Johnstone #485 — FAQ
Is Jay Johnstone #485 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Jay Johnstone #485 sells for $226 against $1.50 raw: a $224 spread, 151× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($50.00) 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 Jay Johnstone #485 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Jay Johnstone #485 (Baseball Cards 1970 Topps) sells for about $226 versus $1.50 for a raw near-mint copy — a 151× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Jay Johnstone #485?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $294, ahead of PSA 10 at $226. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Jay Johnstone #485 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 Jay Johnstone #485 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Jay Johnstone #485 breaks even when it gems about 1% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $50.00).
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