Is Chris Hoiles #42 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1991 Topps Desert Shield · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Chris Hoiles #42 sells for $94.26 against $4.95 raw: a $89.31 spread, 19× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($48.00) 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)
- $4.95
- PSA 10
- $94.26
- PSA 9
- $48.00
- Gem premium
- 19×
- As of
- Sep 2, 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 | $94.26 | +$64.31 | +$39.31 | −$60.69 |
| PSA 9 | $48.00 | +$18.05 | −$6.95 | −$107 |
| PSA 8 | $30.56 | +$0.61 | −$24.39 | −$124 |
Net = sale price − $4.95 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% | $59.56 | +$4.61 |
| 50% | $71.13 | +$16.18 |
| 75% | $82.70 | +$27.75 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 15%. 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 | $123 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $94.26 | −$28.74 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $57.00 | −$66.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $57.00 | −$66.00 | 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 Chris Hoiles #42 — FAQ
Is Chris Hoiles #42 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Chris Hoiles #42 sells for $94.26 against $4.95 raw: a $89.31 spread, 19× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($48.00) 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 Chris Hoiles #42 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Chris Hoiles #42 (Baseball Cards 1991 Topps Desert Shield) sells for about $94.26 versus $4.95 for a raw near-mint copy — a 19× premium as of Sep 2, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Chris Hoiles #42?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $123, ahead of PSA 10 at $94.26. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Chris Hoiles #42 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 Chris Hoiles #42 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Chris Hoiles #42 breaks even when it gems about 15% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $48.00).
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