Is Tim Belcher #25 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1991 Topps Desert Shield · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Tim Belcher #25 sells for $98.42 against $4.73 raw: a $93.69 spread, 21× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($39.95) 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)
- $4.73
- PSA 10
- $98.42
- PSA 9
- $39.95
- Gem premium
- 21×
- 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 | $98.42 | +$68.69 | +$43.69 | −$56.31 |
| PSA 9 | $39.95 | +$10.22 | −$14.78 | −$115 |
| PSA 8 | $10.47 | −$19.26 | −$44.26 | −$144 |
Net = sale price − $4.73 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% | $54.57 | −$0.16 |
| 50% | $69.19 | +$14.45 |
| 75% | $83.80 | +$29.07 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 25%. 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 | $128 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $98.42 | −$29.58 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $59.00 | −$69.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $59.00 | −$69.00 | 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 Tim Belcher #25 — FAQ
Is Tim Belcher #25 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Tim Belcher #25 sells for $98.42 against $4.73 raw: a $93.69 spread, 21× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($39.95) 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 Tim Belcher #25 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Tim Belcher #25 (Baseball Cards 1991 Topps Desert Shield) sells for about $98.42 versus $4.73 for a raw near-mint copy — a 21× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Tim Belcher #25?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $128, ahead of PSA 10 at $98.42. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Tim Belcher #25 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 Tim Belcher #25 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Tim Belcher #25 breaks even when it gems about 25% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $39.95).
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