Is Mariano Duncan #13 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1991 Topps Desert Shield · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Mariano Duncan #13 sells for $2,601 against $9.84 raw: a $2,591 spread, 264× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($44.50) 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)
- $9.84
- PSA 10
- $2,601
- PSA 9
- $44.50
- Gem premium
- 264×
- 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 | $2,601 | +$2,566 | +$2,541 | +$2,441 |
| PSA 9 | $44.50 | +$9.66 | −$15.34 | −$115 |
| PSA 8 | $34.98 | +$0.14 | −$24.86 | −$125 |
Net = sale price − $9.84 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% | $684 | +$624 |
| 50% | $1,323 | +$1,263 |
| 75% | $1,962 | +$1,902 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 1%. 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 | $3,381 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $2,601 | −$780 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $1,561 | −$1,820 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $1,561 | −$1,820 | 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 Mariano Duncan #13 — FAQ
Is Mariano Duncan #13 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Mariano Duncan #13 sells for $2,601 against $9.84 raw: a $2,591 spread, 264× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($44.50) 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 Mariano Duncan #13 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Mariano Duncan #13 (Baseball Cards 1991 Topps Desert Shield) sells for about $2,601 versus $9.84 for a raw near-mint copy — a 264× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Mariano Duncan #13?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $3,381, ahead of PSA 10 at $2,601. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Mariano Duncan #13 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 Mariano Duncan #13 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Mariano Duncan #13 breaks even when it gems about 1% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $44.50).
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