
Is Expos Future Stars: Tim Raines / Roberto Ramos / Bobby Pate #479 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1981 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Expos Future Stars: Tim Raines / Roberto Ramos / Bobby Pate #479 sells for $1,260 against $3.13 raw: a $1,257 spread, 403× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($71.32) 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)
- $3.13
- PSA 10
- $1,260
- PSA 9
- $71.32
- Gem premium
- 403×
- 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 | $1,260 | +$1,232 | +$1,207 | +$1,107 |
| PSA 9 | $71.32 | +$43.19 | +$18.19 | −$81.81 |
| PSA 8 | $18.98 | −$9.15 | −$34.15 | −$134 |
Net = sale price − $3.13 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% | $368 | +$315 |
| 50% | $666 | +$613 |
| 75% | $963 | +$910 |
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 | $1,638 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $1,260 | −$378 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $756 | −$882 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $756 | −$882 | 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 | $1,260 | $756 | $1,638 | $756 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $110 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $71.32 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $18.98 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $15.00 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
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Full set checklist →Grading Expos Future Stars: Tim Raines / Roberto Ramos / Bobby Pate #479 — FAQ
Is Expos Future Stars: Tim Raines / Roberto Ramos / Bobby Pate #479 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Expos Future Stars: Tim Raines / Roberto Ramos / Bobby Pate #479 sells for $1,260 against $3.13 raw: a $1,257 spread, 403× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($71.32) 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 Expos Future Stars: Tim Raines / Roberto Ramos / Bobby Pate #479 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Expos Future Stars: Tim Raines / Roberto Ramos / Bobby Pate #479 (Baseball Cards 1981 Topps) sells for about $1,260 versus $3.13 for a raw near-mint copy — a 403× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Expos Future Stars: Tim Raines / Roberto Ramos / Bobby Pate #479?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $1,638, ahead of PSA 10 at $1,260. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Expos Future Stars: Tim Raines / Roberto Ramos / Bobby Pate #479 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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