Is David Cone #9 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1989 Donruss · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 69× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 David Cone #9 sells for $98.89 against $1.44 raw: a $97.45 spread, 69× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($21.06) 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)
- $1.44
- PSA 10
- $98.89
- PSA 9
- $21.06
- Gem premium
- 69×
- 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 | $98.89 | +$72.45 | +$47.45 | −$52.55 |
| PSA 9 | $21.06 | −$5.38 | −$30.38 | −$130 |
| PSA 8 | $9.87 | −$16.57 | −$41.57 | −$142 |
Net = sale price − $1.44 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% | $40.52 | −$10.92 |
| 50% | $59.98 | +$8.54 |
| 75% | $79.43 | +$27.99 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 39%. 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 | $129 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $98.89 | −$30.11 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $59.00 | −$70.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $59.00 | −$70.00 | 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 1989 Donruss cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading David Cone #9 — FAQ
Is David Cone #9 worth grading?
A PSA 10 David Cone #9 sells for $98.89 against $1.44 raw: a $97.45 spread, 69× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($21.06) 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 David Cone #9 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 David Cone #9 (Baseball Cards 1989 Donruss) sells for about $98.89 versus $1.44 for a raw near-mint copy — a 69× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for David Cone #9?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $129, ahead of PSA 10 at $98.89. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does David Cone #9 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 David Cone #9 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting David Cone #9 breaks even when it gems about 39% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $21.06).
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.
