Is Fred McGriff #28 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1986 Donruss · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Fred McGriff #28 sells for $525 against $3.63 raw: a $521 spread, 145× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($36.44) 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)
- $3.63
- PSA 10
- $525
- PSA 9
- $36.44
- Gem premium
- 145×
- 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 | $525 | +$496 | +$471 | +$371 |
| PSA 9 | $36.44 | +$7.81 | −$17.19 | −$117 |
| PSA 8 | $14.52 | −$14.11 | −$39.11 | −$139 |
Net = sale price − $3.63 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% | $159 | +$105 |
| 50% | $281 | +$227 |
| 75% | $403 | +$349 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 4%. 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 | $683 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $525 | −$158 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $315 | −$368 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $315 | −$368 | 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 | $525 | $315 | $683 | $315 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $79.95 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $36.44 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $14.52 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $12.00 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1986 Donruss cards worth checking
Full set checklist →![Tom Seaver [Green Stripes Around Name] #609 1986 Donruss card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/GcwAAeSwHFNn8rE-/s-l500.jpg)
![Dwight Gooden [Diamond Kings] #26 1986 Donruss card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/UpUAAOSwYytm1o4B/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Fred McGriff #28 — FAQ
Is Fred McGriff #28 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Fred McGriff #28 sells for $525 against $3.63 raw: a $521 spread, 145× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($36.44) 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 Fred McGriff #28 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Fred McGriff #28 (Baseball Cards 1986 Donruss) sells for about $525 versus $3.63 for a raw near-mint copy — a 145× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Fred McGriff #28?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $683, ahead of PSA 10 at $525. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Fred McGriff #28 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 Fred McGriff #28 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Fred McGriff #28 breaks even when it gems about 4% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $36.44).
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.
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