Is Nolan Ryan #774 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1989 Upper Deck · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Nolan Ryan #774 sells for $184 against $3.25 raw: a $181 spread, 57× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($28.49) 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)
- $3.25
- PSA 10
- $184
- PSA 9
- $28.49
- Gem premium
- 57×
- 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 | $184 | +$156 | +$131 | +$30.68 |
| PSA 9 | $28.49 | +$0.24 | −$24.76 | −$125 |
| PSA 8 | $14.36 | −$13.89 | −$38.89 | −$139 |
Net = sale price − $3.25 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% | $67.35 | +$14.10 |
| 50% | $106 | +$52.96 |
| 75% | $145 | +$91.82 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 16%. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA 10 | $184 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| BGS 10 | $180 | −$3.93 | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| CGC 10 | $110 | −$73.93 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $103 | −$81.18 | 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 Upper Deck cards worth checking
Full set checklist →![Gary Sheffield [Upside Down] #13 1989 Upper Deck card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/cXUAAeSwU7xqV9Kw/s-l500.jpg)
![Gary Varsho [Mike Bielecki] #321 1989 Upper Deck card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/kMcAAOSw6w5n8BiK/s-l500.jpg)
![Jose Canseco [Blue Eagle] #659 1989 Upper Deck card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/zRAAAeSwEmJqHND3/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Nolan Ryan #774 — FAQ
Is Nolan Ryan #774 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Nolan Ryan #774 sells for $184 against $3.25 raw: a $181 spread, 57× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($28.49) 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 #774 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Nolan Ryan #774 (Baseball Cards 1989 Upper Deck) sells for about $184 versus $3.25 for a raw near-mint copy — a 57× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Nolan Ryan #774?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $184, ahead of BGS 10 at $180. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Nolan Ryan #774 need for a PSA 10?
PSA publishes 55/45 front and 75/25 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 Nolan Ryan #774 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Nolan Ryan #774 breaks even when it gems about 16% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $28.49).
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.
