Is Tom Paciorek #408 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1981 Donruss · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Tom Paciorek #408 sells for $44.51 against $0.51 raw: a $44.00 spread, 87× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($33.11) 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)
- $0.51
- PSA 10
- $44.51
- PSA 9
- $33.11
- Gem premium
- 87×
- 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 | $44.51 | +$19.00 | −$6.00 | −$106 |
| PSA 9 | $33.11 | +$7.60 | −$17.40 | −$117 |
Net = sale price − $0.51 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% | $35.96 | −$14.55 |
| 50% | $38.81 | −$11.70 |
| 75% | $41.66 | −$8.85 |
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 | $58.00 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $44.51 | −$13.49 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $27.00 | −$31.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $27.00 | −$31.00 | 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 Tom Paciorek #408 — FAQ
Is Tom Paciorek #408 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Tom Paciorek #408 sells for $44.51 against $0.51 raw: a $44.00 spread, 87× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($33.11) 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 Tom Paciorek #408 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Tom Paciorek #408 (Baseball Cards 1981 Donruss) sells for about $44.51 versus $0.51 for a raw near-mint copy — a 87× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Tom Paciorek #408?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $58.00, ahead of PSA 10 at $44.51. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Tom Paciorek #408 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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