Is Steve Garvey #3 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1982 Donruss · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Steve Garvey #3 sells for $172 against $1.96 raw: a $170 spread, 88× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($32.09) 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)
- $1.96
- PSA 10
- $172
- PSA 9
- $32.09
- Gem premium
- 88×
- 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 | $172 | +$145 | +$120 | +$20.03 |
| PSA 9 | $32.09 | +$5.13 | −$19.87 | −$120 |
| PSA 8 | $14.24 | −$12.72 | −$37.72 | −$138 |
Net = sale price − $1.96 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% | $67.06 | +$15.11 |
| 50% | $102 | +$50.08 |
| 75% | $137 | +$85.06 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 14%. 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 | $224 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $172 | −$52.01 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $103 | −$121 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $103 | −$121 | 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 | $172 | $103 | $224 | $103 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $58.18 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $32.09 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $14.24 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1982 Donruss cards worth checking
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Grading Steve Garvey #3 — FAQ
Is Steve Garvey #3 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Steve Garvey #3 sells for $172 against $1.96 raw: a $170 spread, 88× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($32.09) 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 Steve Garvey #3 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Steve Garvey #3 (Baseball Cards 1982 Donruss) sells for about $172 versus $1.96 for a raw near-mint copy — a 88× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Steve Garvey #3?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $224, ahead of PSA 10 at $172. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Steve Garvey #3 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 Steve Garvey #3 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Steve Garvey #3 breaks even when it gems about 14% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $32.09).
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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