Is Steve Carlton #1 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1984 Topps · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 34× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Steve Carlton #1 sells for $43.08 against $1.25 raw: a $41.83 spread, 34× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($18.77) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $1.25
- PSA 10
- $43.08
- PSA 9
- $18.77
- Gem premium
- 34×
- 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 | $43.08 | +$16.83 | −$8.17 | −$108 |
| PSA 9 | $18.77 | −$7.48 | −$32.48 | −$132 |
| PSA 8 | $6.78 | −$19.47 | −$44.47 | −$144 |
Net = sale price − $1.25 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% | $24.85 | −$26.40 |
| 50% | $30.92 | −$20.33 |
| 75% | $37.00 | −$14.25 |
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 | $56.00 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $43.08 | −$12.92 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $26.00 | −$30.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $26.00 | −$30.00 | 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.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | PSA | CGC | BGS | SGC | Graded |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $43.08 | $26.00 | $56.00 | $26.00 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $41.75 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $18.77 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $6.78 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
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Grading Steve Carlton #1 — FAQ
Is Steve Carlton #1 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Steve Carlton #1 sells for $43.08 against $1.25 raw: a $41.83 spread, 34× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($18.77) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
How much is a PSA 10 Steve Carlton #1 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Steve Carlton #1 (Baseball Cards 1984 Topps) sells for about $43.08 versus $1.25 for a raw near-mint copy — a 34× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Steve Carlton #1?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $56.00, ahead of PSA 10 at $43.08. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Steve Carlton #1 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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