Is Rickey Henderson #U-51 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1985 Fleer Update · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Rickey Henderson #U-51 sells for $179 against $2.80 raw: a $177 spread, 64× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($36.60) 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)
- $2.80
- PSA 10
- $179
- PSA 9
- $36.60
- Gem premium
- 64×
- As of
- Sep 4, 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 | $179 | +$152 | +$127 | +$26.63 |
| PSA 9 | $36.60 | +$8.80 | −$16.20 | −$116 |
| PSA 8 | $15.00 | −$12.80 | −$37.80 | −$138 |
Net = sale price − $2.80 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% | $72.31 | +$19.51 |
| 50% | $108 | +$55.22 |
| 75% | $144 | +$90.92 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 11%. 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 | $233 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $179 | −$53.57 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $108 | −$125 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $108 | −$125 | 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.
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Other 1985 Fleer Update cards worth checking
Full set checklist →Grading Rickey Henderson #U-51 — FAQ
Is Rickey Henderson #U-51 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Rickey Henderson #U-51 sells for $179 against $2.80 raw: a $177 spread, 64× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($36.60) 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 Rickey Henderson #U-51 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Rickey Henderson #U-51 (Baseball Cards 1985 Fleer Update) sells for about $179 versus $2.80 for a raw near-mint copy — a 64× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Rickey Henderson #U-51?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $233, ahead of PSA 10 at $179. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Rickey Henderson #U-51 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 Rickey Henderson #U-51 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Rickey Henderson #U-51 breaks even when it gems about 11% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $36.60).
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