Is Neal Heaton #451 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1991 Topps Desert Shield · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Neal Heaton #451 sells for $283 against $3.71 raw: a $279 spread, 76× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($42.09) 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)
- $3.71
- PSA 10
- $283
- PSA 9
- $42.09
- Gem premium
- 76×
- As of
- Sep 3, 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 | $283 | +$254 | +$229 | +$129 |
| PSA 9 | $42.09 | +$13.38 | −$11.62 | −$112 |
| PSA 8 | $22.50 | −$6.21 | −$31.21 | −$131 |
Net = sale price − $3.71 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% | $102 | +$48.48 |
| 50% | $162 | +$109 |
| 75% | $222 | +$169 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 5%. 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 | $367 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $283 | −$84.50 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $170 | −$197 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $170 | −$197 | 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 Neal Heaton #451 — FAQ
Is Neal Heaton #451 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Neal Heaton #451 sells for $283 against $3.71 raw: a $279 spread, 76× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($42.09) 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 Neal Heaton #451 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Neal Heaton #451 (Baseball Cards 1991 Topps Desert Shield) sells for about $283 versus $3.71 for a raw near-mint copy — a 76× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Neal Heaton #451?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $367, ahead of PSA 10 at $283. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Neal Heaton #451 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 Neal Heaton #451 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Neal Heaton #451 breaks even when it gems about 5% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $42.09).
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