Is Manny Lee #297 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1991 Topps Desert Shield · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Manny Lee #297 sells for $158 against $2.92 raw: a $155 spread, 54× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($48.55) 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)
- $2.92
- PSA 10
- $158
- PSA 9
- $48.55
- Gem premium
- 54×
- 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 | $158 | +$130 | +$105 | +$4.58 |
| PSA 9 | $48.55 | +$20.63 | −$4.37 | −$104 |
| PSA 8 | $48.00 | +$20.08 | −$4.92 | −$105 |
Net = sale price − $2.92 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% | $75.79 | +$22.87 |
| 50% | $103 | +$50.11 |
| 75% | $130 | +$77.34 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 4%. 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 | $205 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $158 | −$47.50 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $95.00 | −$110 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $95.00 | −$110 | 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 Manny Lee #297 — FAQ
Is Manny Lee #297 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Manny Lee #297 sells for $158 against $2.92 raw: a $155 spread, 54× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($48.55) 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 Manny Lee #297 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Manny Lee #297 (Baseball Cards 1991 Topps Desert Shield) sells for about $158 versus $2.92 for a raw near-mint copy — a 54× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Manny Lee #297?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $205, ahead of PSA 10 at $158. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Manny Lee #297 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 Manny Lee #297 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Manny Lee #297 breaks even when it gems about 4% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $48.55).
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