Is Brad Gulden #251 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1985 Topps Mini · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Brad Gulden #251 sells for $194 against $129 raw: a $65.00 spread, 1.5× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($176) 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)
- $129
- Grade 9.5
- $194
- PSA 9
- $176
- Gem premium
- 1.5×
- 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 — Grade 9.5 | $194 | +$40.00 | +$15.00 | −$85.00 |
| PSA 9 | $176 | +$22.00 | −$3.00 | −$103 |
| PSA 8 | $160 | +$6.00 | −$19.00 | −$119 |
Net = sale price − $129 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% | $181 | +$1.50 |
| 50% | $185 | +$6.00 |
| 75% | $190 | +$10.50 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 17%. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses — measure it before you decide.
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Grading Brad Gulden #251 — FAQ
Is Brad Gulden #251 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Brad Gulden #251 sells for $194 against $129 raw: a $65.00 spread, 1.5× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($176) 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.
What gem rate makes grading Brad Gulden #251 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Brad Gulden #251 breaks even when it gems about 17% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $176).
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