Is Ken Williams #274 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1991 Topps Desert Shield · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Ken Williams #274 sells for $136 against $3.46 raw: a $133 spread, 39× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($38.00) 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)
- $3.46
- PSA 10
- $136
- PSA 9
- $38.00
- Gem premium
- 39×
- 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 | $136 | +$108 | +$82.71 | −$17.29 |
| PSA 9 | $38.00 | +$9.54 | −$15.46 | −$115 |
| PSA 8 | $14.97 | −$13.49 | −$38.49 | −$138 |
Net = sale price − $3.46 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% | $62.54 | +$9.08 |
| 50% | $87.08 | +$33.63 |
| 75% | $112 | +$58.17 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 16%. 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 | $177 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $136 | −$40.83 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $82.00 | −$95.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $82.00 | −$95.00 | 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 Ken Williams #274 — FAQ
Is Ken Williams #274 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Ken Williams #274 sells for $136 against $3.46 raw: a $133 spread, 39× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($38.00) 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 Ken Williams #274 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Ken Williams #274 (Baseball Cards 1991 Topps Desert Shield) sells for about $136 versus $3.46 for a raw near-mint copy — a 39× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Ken Williams #274?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $177, ahead of PSA 10 at $136. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Ken Williams #274 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 Ken Williams #274 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Ken Williams #274 breaks even when it gems about 16% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $38.00).
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