Is Glenallen Hill #509 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1991 Topps Desert Shield · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Glenallen Hill #509 sells for $105 against $4.24 raw: a $101 spread, 25× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($83.00) 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)
- $4.24
- PSA 10
- $105
- PSA 9
- $83.00
- Gem premium
- 25×
- 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 | $105 | +$75.76 | +$50.76 | −$49.24 |
| PSA 9 | $83.00 | +$53.76 | +$28.76 | −$71.24 |
| PSA 8 | $28.38 | −$0.86 | −$25.86 | −$126 |
Net = sale price − $4.24 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% | $88.50 | +$34.26 |
| 50% | $94.00 | +$39.76 |
| 75% | $99.50 | +$45.26 |
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 | $137 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $105 | −$32.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $63.00 | −$74.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $63.00 | −$74.00 | 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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Other 1991 Topps Desert Shield cards worth checking
Full set checklist →Grading Glenallen Hill #509 — FAQ
Is Glenallen Hill #509 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Glenallen Hill #509 sells for $105 against $4.24 raw: a $101 spread, 25× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($83.00) 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 Glenallen Hill #509 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Glenallen Hill #509 (Baseball Cards 1991 Topps Desert Shield) sells for about $105 versus $4.24 for a raw near-mint copy — a 25× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Glenallen Hill #509?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $137, ahead of PSA 10 at $105. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Glenallen Hill #509 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.
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