Is Nolan Ryan #500 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1975 O Pee Chee · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Nolan Ryan #500 sells for $17,040 against $126 raw: a $16,914 spread, 135× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($14,200) 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)
- $126
- PSA 10
- $17,040
- PSA 9
- $14,200
- Gem premium
- 135×
- 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 | $17,040 | +$16,889 | +$16,864 | +$16,764 |
| PSA 9 | $14,200 | +$14,049 | +$14,024 | +$13,924 |
| PSA 8 | $1,511 | +$1,360 | +$1,335 | +$1,235 |
Net = sale price − $126 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% | $14,910 | +$14,734 |
| 50% | $15,620 | +$15,444 |
| 75% | $16,330 | +$16,154 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
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 | $22,152 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $17,040 | −$5,112 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $10,224 | −$11,928 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $10,224 | −$11,928 | 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 Nolan Ryan #500 — FAQ
Is Nolan Ryan #500 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Nolan Ryan #500 sells for $17,040 against $126 raw: a $16,914 spread, 135× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($14,200) 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 Nolan Ryan #500 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Nolan Ryan #500 (Baseball Cards 1975 O Pee Chee) sells for about $17,040 versus $126 for a raw near-mint copy — a 135× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Nolan Ryan #500?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $22,152, ahead of PSA 10 at $17,040. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Nolan Ryan #500 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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