Is Kirby Puckett #438 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1985 Donruss · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Kirby Puckett #438 sells for $705 against $7.00 raw: a $698 spread, 101× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($56.01) 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)
- $7.00
- PSA 10
- $705
- PSA 9
- $56.01
- Gem premium
- 101×
- 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 | $705 | +$673 | +$648 | +$548 |
| PSA 9 | $56.01 | +$24.01 | −$0.99 | −$101 |
| PSA 8 | $22.88 | −$9.12 | −$34.12 | −$134 |
Net = sale price − $7.00 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% | $218 | +$161 |
| 50% | $381 | +$324 |
| 75% | $543 | +$486 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 0%. 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 | $917 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $705 | −$212 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $423 | −$494 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $350 | −$567 | 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 | $705 | $423 | $917 | $350 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $135 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $56.01 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $22.88 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $11.43 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1985 Donruss cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Kirby Puckett #438 — FAQ
Is Kirby Puckett #438 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Kirby Puckett #438 sells for $705 against $7.00 raw: a $698 spread, 101× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($56.01) 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 Kirby Puckett #438 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Kirby Puckett #438 (Baseball Cards 1985 Donruss) sells for about $705 versus $7.00 for a raw near-mint copy — a 101× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Kirby Puckett #438?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $917, ahead of PSA 10 at $705. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Kirby Puckett #438 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 Kirby Puckett #438 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Kirby Puckett #438 breaks even when it gems about 0% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $56.01).
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