Is Randy Johnson #225 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1991 Topps Desert Shield · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Randy Johnson #225 sells for $1,145 against $60.23 raw: a $1,085 spread, 19× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($239) 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)
- $60.23
- PSA 10
- $1,145
- PSA 9
- $239
- Gem premium
- 19×
- As of
- Jul 11, 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 | $1,145 | +$1,060 | +$1,035 | +$935 |
| PSA 9 | $239 | +$154 | +$129 | +$28.89 |
| PSA 8 | $167 | +$81.65 | +$56.65 | −$43.35 |
Net = sale price − $60.23 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% | $466 | +$355 |
| 50% | $692 | +$582 |
| 75% | $919 | +$808 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
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 | $1,489 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $1,145 | −$344 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $687 | −$802 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $687 | −$802 | 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 →| Grade | PSA | CGC | BGS | SGC | Graded |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $1,145 | $687 | $1,489 | $687 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $546 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $239 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $167 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $43.00 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1991 Topps Desert Shield cards worth checking
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Grading Randy Johnson #225 — FAQ
Is Randy Johnson #225 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Randy Johnson #225 sells for $1,145 against $60.23 raw: a $1,085 spread, 19× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($239) 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 Randy Johnson #225 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Randy Johnson #225 (Baseball Cards 1991 Topps Desert Shield) sells for about $1,145 versus $60.23 for a raw near-mint copy — a 19× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Randy Johnson #225?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $1,489, ahead of PSA 10 at $1,145. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Randy Johnson #225 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.
Is your baseball card centered well enough to grade?
Centering makes or breaks a PSA 10. Scan any card with Midpoint to measure its exact centering, get a grade estimate, and see what your copy is actually worth.
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