Is Ruben Sierra #261 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1987 Topps · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 35× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Ruben Sierra #261 sells for $51.44 against $1.47 raw: a $49.97 spread, 35× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($15.00) 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)
- $1.47
- PSA 10
- $51.44
- PSA 9
- $15.00
- Gem premium
- 35×
- 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 | $51.44 | +$24.97 | −$0.03 | −$100 |
| PSA 9 | $15.00 | −$11.47 | −$36.47 | −$136 |
| PSA 8 | $5.99 | −$20.48 | −$45.48 | −$145 |
Net = sale price − $1.47 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% | $24.11 | −$27.36 |
| 50% | $33.22 | −$18.25 |
| 75% | $42.33 | −$9.14 |
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 | $67.00 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $51.44 | −$15.56 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $31.00 | −$36.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $31.00 | −$36.00 | 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.
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Grading Ruben Sierra #261 — FAQ
Is Ruben Sierra #261 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Ruben Sierra #261 sells for $51.44 against $1.47 raw: a $49.97 spread, 35× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($15.00) 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 Ruben Sierra #261 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Ruben Sierra #261 (Baseball Cards 1987 Topps) sells for about $51.44 versus $1.47 for a raw near-mint copy — a 35× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Ruben Sierra #261?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $67.00, ahead of PSA 10 at $51.44. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Ruben Sierra #261 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.
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