Is Fernando Valenzuela #159 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1993 Flair · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 31× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Fernando Valenzuela #159 sells for $48.10 against $1.55 raw: a $46.55 spread, 31× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($19.12) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $1.55
- PSA 10
- $48.10
- PSA 9
- $19.12
- Gem premium
- 31×
- As of
- Jul 11, 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 | $48.10 | +$21.55 | −$3.45 | −$103 |
| PSA 9 | $19.12 | −$7.43 | −$32.43 | −$132 |
| PSA 8 | $16.79 | −$9.76 | −$34.76 | −$135 |
Net = sale price − $1.55 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% | $26.37 | −$25.18 |
| 50% | $33.61 | −$17.94 |
| 75% | $40.86 | −$10.69 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
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 | $63.00 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $48.10 | −$14.90 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $29.00 | −$34.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $29.00 | −$34.00 | 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.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | PSA | CGC | BGS | SGC | Graded |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $48.10 | $29.00 | $63.00 | $29.00 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $34.90 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $19.12 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $16.79 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1993 Flair cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Fernando Valenzuela #159 — FAQ
Is Fernando Valenzuela #159 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Fernando Valenzuela #159 sells for $48.10 against $1.55 raw: a $46.55 spread, 31× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($19.12) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
How much is a PSA 10 Fernando Valenzuela #159 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Fernando Valenzuela #159 (Baseball Cards 1993 Flair) sells for about $48.10 versus $1.55 for a raw near-mint copy — a 31× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Fernando Valenzuela #159?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $63.00, ahead of PSA 10 at $48.10. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Fernando Valenzuela #159 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.
Is your baseball card centered well enough to grade?
Centering makes or breaks a PSA 10. Scan any card with Midpoint to measure its exact centering, get a grade estimate, and see what your copy is actually worth.
Check my card free