![San Diego Chicken [TM] #531 (Baseball Cards 1982 Donruss) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/G~IAAeSw0sdqU9hV/s-l1600.jpg)
Is San Diego Chicken [TM] #531 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1982 Donruss · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 San Diego Chicken [TM] #531 sells for $279 against $3.44 raw: a $276 spread, 81× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($34.62) 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)
- $3.44
- PSA 10
- $279
- PSA 9
- $34.62
- Gem premium
- 81×
- 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 | $279 | +$251 | +$226 | +$126 |
| PSA 9 | $34.62 | +$6.18 | −$18.82 | −$119 |
| PSA 8 | $14.00 | −$14.44 | −$39.44 | −$139 |
Net = sale price − $3.44 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% | $95.83 | +$42.39 |
| 50% | $157 | +$104 |
| 75% | $218 | +$165 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 8%. 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 | $363 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $279 | −$83.55 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $168 | −$195 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $168 | −$195 | 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 | $279 | $168 | $363 | $168 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $87.07 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $34.62 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $14.00 |
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
Full set checklist →
Grading San Diego Chicken [TM] #531 — FAQ
Is San Diego Chicken [TM] #531 worth grading?
A PSA 10 San Diego Chicken [TM] #531 sells for $279 against $3.44 raw: a $276 spread, 81× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($34.62) 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 San Diego Chicken [TM] #531 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 San Diego Chicken [TM] #531 (Baseball Cards 1982 Donruss) sells for about $279 versus $3.44 for a raw near-mint copy — a 81× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for San Diego Chicken [TM] #531?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $363, ahead of PSA 10 at $279. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does San Diego Chicken [TM] #531 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 San Diego Chicken [TM] #531 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting San Diego Chicken [TM] #531 breaks even when it gems about 8% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $34.62).
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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