Is Rick Dempsey #521 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1985 Topps · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 33× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Rick Dempsey #521 sells for $47.82 against $1.46 raw: a $46.36 spread, 33× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($13.00) 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)
- $1.46
- PSA 10
- $47.82
- PSA 9
- $13.00
- Gem premium
- 33×
- As of
- Sep 3, 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 | $47.82 | +$21.36 | −$3.64 | −$104 |
| PSA 9 | $13.00 | −$13.46 | −$38.46 | −$138 |
| PSA 8 | $11.39 | −$15.07 | −$40.07 | −$140 |
Net = sale price − $1.46 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% | $21.70 | −$29.76 |
| 50% | $30.41 | −$21.05 |
| 75% | $39.12 | −$12.34 |
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 | $62.00 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $47.82 | −$14.18 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $29.00 | −$33.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $29.00 | −$33.00 | 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 →Swipe the table for the other grading companies →
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1985 Topps cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Rick Dempsey #521 — FAQ
Is Rick Dempsey #521 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Rick Dempsey #521 sells for $47.82 against $1.46 raw: a $46.36 spread, 33× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($13.00) 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 Rick Dempsey #521 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Rick Dempsey #521 (Baseball Cards 1985 Topps) sells for about $47.82 versus $1.46 for a raw near-mint copy — a 33× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Rick Dempsey #521?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $62.00, ahead of PSA 10 at $47.82. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Rick Dempsey #521 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.
Best on iPhone & Android
Check your baseball card in the Midpoint app
Scan with your camera to measure centering to the millimeter, get an AI grade with corner and edge close-ups, see what your copy is worth, and track it in your portfolio. Free to start.
