Is Goose Gossage #185 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1986 Donruss · full price guide →
Grading rarely pays for this card
PSA 10 copies of Goose Gossage #185 sell for $16.92, only $15.71 above the $1.21 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($12.00) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
- Raw (NM)
- $1.21
- PSA 10
- $16.92
- PSA 9
- $12.00
- Gem premium
- 14×
- 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 | $16.92 | −$9.29 | −$34.29 | −$134 |
| PSA 9 | $12.00 | −$14.21 | −$39.21 | −$139 |
| PSA 8 | $2.39 | −$23.82 | −$48.82 | −$149 |
Net = sale price − $1.21 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% | $13.23 | −$37.98 |
| 50% | $14.46 | −$36.75 |
| 75% | $15.69 | −$35.52 |
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 | $22.00 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $16.92 | −$5.08 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $10.00 | −$12.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $10.00 | −$12.00 | 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 1986 Donruss cards worth checking
Full set checklist →Grading Goose Gossage #185 — FAQ
Is Goose Gossage #185 worth grading?
PSA 10 copies of Goose Gossage #185 sell for $16.92, only $15.71 above the $1.21 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($12.00) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
How much is a PSA 10 Goose Gossage #185 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Goose Gossage #185 (Baseball Cards 1986 Donruss) sells for about $16.92 versus $1.21 for a raw near-mint copy — a 14× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Goose Gossage #185?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $22.00, ahead of PSA 10 at $16.92. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Goose Gossage #185 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.


![Tom Seaver [Green Stripes Around Name] #609 1986 Donruss card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/GcwAAeSwHFNn8rE-/s-l500.jpg)
