Is Nolan Ryan #225 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1989 Bowman Tiffany · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Nolan Ryan #225 sells for $565 against $22.94 raw: a $542 spread, 25× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($91.54) 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)
- $22.94
- PSA 10
- $565
- PSA 9
- $91.54
- Gem premium
- 25×
- 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 | $565 | +$517 | +$492 | +$392 |
| PSA 9 | $91.54 | +$43.60 | +$18.60 | −$81.40 |
| PSA 8 | $33.47 | −$14.47 | −$39.47 | −$139 |
Net = sale price − $22.94 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% | $210 | +$137 |
| 50% | $328 | +$255 |
| 75% | $447 | +$374 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
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 | $735 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $565 | −$170 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $339 | −$396 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $192 | −$543 | 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 Nolan Ryan #225 — FAQ
Is Nolan Ryan #225 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Nolan Ryan #225 sells for $565 against $22.94 raw: a $542 spread, 25× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($91.54) 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 #225 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Nolan Ryan #225 (Baseball Cards 1989 Bowman Tiffany) sells for about $565 versus $22.94 for a raw near-mint copy — a 25× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Nolan Ryan #225?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $735, ahead of PSA 10 at $565. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Nolan Ryan #225 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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