![Dwight Gooden [Diamond Kings] #26 (Baseball Cards 1986 Donruss) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/UpUAAOSwYytm1o4B/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Dwight Gooden [Diamond Kings] #26 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1986 Donruss · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Dwight Gooden [Diamond Kings] #26 sells for $146 against $2.00 raw: a $144 spread, 73× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($28.32) 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)
- $2.00
- PSA 10
- $146
- PSA 9
- $28.32
- Gem premium
- 73×
- 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 | $146 | +$119 | +$93.97 | −$6.03 |
| PSA 9 | $28.32 | +$1.32 | −$23.68 | −$124 |
| PSA 8 | $12.86 | −$14.14 | −$39.14 | −$139 |
Net = sale price − $2.00 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% | $57.73 | +$5.73 |
| 50% | $87.14 | +$35.14 |
| 75% | $117 | +$64.56 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 20%. 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 | $190 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $146 | −$44.03 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $88.00 | −$102 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $88.00 | −$102 | 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.
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Grading Dwight Gooden [Diamond Kings] #26 — FAQ
Is Dwight Gooden [Diamond Kings] #26 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Dwight Gooden [Diamond Kings] #26 sells for $146 against $2.00 raw: a $144 spread, 73× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($28.32) 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 Dwight Gooden [Diamond Kings] #26 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Dwight Gooden [Diamond Kings] #26 (Baseball Cards 1986 Donruss) sells for about $146 versus $2.00 for a raw near-mint copy — a 73× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Dwight Gooden [Diamond Kings] #26?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $190, ahead of PSA 10 at $146. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Dwight Gooden [Diamond Kings] #26 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 Dwight Gooden [Diamond Kings] #26 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Dwight Gooden [Diamond Kings] #26 breaks even when it gems about 20% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $28.32).
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