Is Johnny Ray #273 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1991 Topps Desert Shield · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Johnny Ray #273 sells for $76.00 against $4.47 raw: a $71.53 spread, 17× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($31.89) 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)
- $4.47
- PSA 10
- $76.00
- PSA 9
- $31.89
- Gem premium
- 17×
- 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 | $76.00 | +$46.53 | +$21.53 | −$78.47 |
| PSA 9 | $31.89 | +$2.42 | −$22.58 | −$123 |
| PSA 8 | $23.39 | −$6.08 | −$31.08 | −$131 |
Net = sale price − $4.47 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% | $42.92 | −$11.55 |
| 50% | $53.95 | −$0.52 |
| 75% | $64.97 | +$10.50 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 51%. 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 | $99.00 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $76.00 | −$23.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $46.00 | −$53.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $46.00 | −$53.00 | 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 Johnny Ray #273 — FAQ
Is Johnny Ray #273 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Johnny Ray #273 sells for $76.00 against $4.47 raw: a $71.53 spread, 17× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($31.89) 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 Johnny Ray #273 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Johnny Ray #273 (Baseball Cards 1991 Topps Desert Shield) sells for about $76.00 versus $4.47 for a raw near-mint copy — a 17× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Johnny Ray #273?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $99.00, ahead of PSA 10 at $76.00. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Johnny Ray #273 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 Johnny Ray #273 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Johnny Ray #273 breaks even when it gems about 51% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $31.89).
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