Is Steve Balboni #716 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1990 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Steve Balboni #716 sells for $96.12 against $1.48 raw: a $94.64 spread, 65× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($32.97) 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)
- $1.48
- PSA 10
- $96.12
- PSA 9
- $32.97
- Gem premium
- 65×
- 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 | $96.12 | +$69.64 | +$44.64 | −$55.36 |
| PSA 9 | $32.97 | +$6.49 | −$18.51 | −$119 |
| PSA 8 | $15.26 | −$11.22 | −$36.22 | −$136 |
Net = sale price − $1.48 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% | $48.76 | −$2.72 |
| 50% | $64.55 | +$13.07 |
| 75% | $80.33 | +$28.85 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 29%. 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 | $125 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $96.12 | −$28.88 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $58.00 | −$67.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $58.00 | −$67.00 | 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 Steve Balboni #716 — FAQ
Is Steve Balboni #716 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Steve Balboni #716 sells for $96.12 against $1.48 raw: a $94.64 spread, 65× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($32.97) 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 Steve Balboni #716 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Steve Balboni #716 (Baseball Cards 1990 Topps) sells for about $96.12 versus $1.48 for a raw near-mint copy — a 65× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Steve Balboni #716?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $125, ahead of PSA 10 at $96.12. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Steve Balboni #716 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 Steve Balboni #716 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Steve Balboni #716 breaks even when it gems about 29% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $32.97).
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