Is Nolan Ryan #240 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1981 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Nolan Ryan #240 sells for $9,210 against $4.00 raw: a $9,206 spread, 2303× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($553) 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)
- $4.00
- PSA 10
- $9,210
- PSA 9
- $553
- Gem premium
- 2303×
- As of
- Jul 11, 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 | $9,210 | +$9,181 | +$9,156 | +$9,056 |
| PSA 9 | $553 | +$524 | +$499 | +$399 |
| PSA 8 | $55.50 | +$26.50 | +$1.50 | −$98.50 |
Net = sale price − $4.00 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% | $2,717 | +$2,663 |
| 50% | $4,882 | +$4,828 |
| 75% | $7,046 | +$6,992 |
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 | $11,974 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $9,210 | −$2,764 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $5,526 | −$6,448 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $5,526 | −$6,448 | 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 →| Grade | PSA | CGC | BGS | SGC | Graded |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $9,210 | $5,526 | $11,974 | $5,526 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $866 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $553 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $55.50 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $22.97 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
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Grading Nolan Ryan #240 — FAQ
Is Nolan Ryan #240 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Nolan Ryan #240 sells for $9,210 against $4.00 raw: a $9,206 spread, 2303× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($553) 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 #240 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Nolan Ryan #240 (Baseball Cards 1981 Topps) sells for about $9,210 versus $4.00 for a raw near-mint copy — a 2303× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Nolan Ryan #240?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $11,974, ahead of PSA 10 at $9,210. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Nolan Ryan #240 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.
Is your baseball card centered well enough to grade?
Centering makes or breaks a PSA 10. Scan any card with Midpoint to measure its exact centering, get a grade estimate, and see what your copy is actually worth.
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