Is Nolan Ryan #359 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1985 Fleer · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Nolan Ryan #359 sells for $405 against $2.97 raw: a $402 spread, 136× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($28.22) 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)
- $2.97
- PSA 10
- $405
- PSA 9
- $28.22
- Gem premium
- 136×
- 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 | $405 | +$377 | +$352 | +$252 |
| PSA 9 | $28.22 | +$0.25 | −$24.75 | −$125 |
| PSA 8 | $18.74 | −$9.23 | −$34.23 | −$134 |
Net = sale price − $2.97 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% | $122 | +$69.44 |
| 50% | $217 | +$164 |
| 75% | $311 | +$258 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 7%. 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 | $527 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $405 | −$122 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $243 | −$284 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $243 | −$284 | 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 | $405 | $243 | $527 | $243 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $76.99 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $28.22 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $18.74 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $9.87 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1985 Fleer cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Nolan Ryan #359 — FAQ
Is Nolan Ryan #359 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Nolan Ryan #359 sells for $405 against $2.97 raw: a $402 spread, 136× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($28.22) 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 Nolan Ryan #359 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Nolan Ryan #359 (Baseball Cards 1985 Fleer) sells for about $405 versus $2.97 for a raw near-mint copy — a 136× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Nolan Ryan #359?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $527, ahead of PSA 10 at $405. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Nolan Ryan #359 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 Nolan Ryan #359 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Nolan Ryan #359 breaks even when it gems about 7% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $28.22).
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.
Check my card free