Is Nolan Ryan #21 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1986 Donruss All Stars · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Nolan Ryan #21 sells for $152 against $3.00 raw: a $149 spread, 51× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($37.48) 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)
- $3.00
- PSA 10
- $152
- PSA 9
- $37.48
- Gem premium
- 51×
- 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 | $152 | +$124 | +$98.50 | −$1.50 |
| PSA 9 | $37.48 | +$9.48 | −$15.52 | −$116 |
| PSA 8 | $13.50 | −$14.50 | −$39.50 | −$140 |
Net = sale price − $3.00 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% | $65.98 | +$12.98 |
| 50% | $94.49 | +$41.49 |
| 75% | $123 | +$70.00 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 14%. 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 | $197 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $152 | −$45.50 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $91.00 | −$106 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $91.00 | −$106 | 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 1986 Donruss All Stars cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Nolan Ryan #21 — FAQ
Is Nolan Ryan #21 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Nolan Ryan #21 sells for $152 against $3.00 raw: a $149 spread, 51× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($37.48) 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 #21 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Nolan Ryan #21 (Baseball Cards 1986 Donruss All Stars) sells for about $152 versus $3.00 for a raw near-mint copy — a 51× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Nolan Ryan #21?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $197, ahead of PSA 10 at $152. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Nolan Ryan #21 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 #21 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Nolan Ryan #21 breaks even when it gems about 14% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $37.48).
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.
