Is Nolan Ryan [Silver Signature] #249 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1994 Collector's Choice · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Nolan Ryan [Silver Signature] #249 sells for $58.35 against $2.52 raw: a $55.83 spread, 23× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($33.01) 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)
- $2.52
- PSA 10
- $58.35
- PSA 9
- $33.01
- Gem premium
- 23×
- 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 | $58.35 | +$30.83 | +$5.83 | −$94.17 |
| PSA 9 | $33.01 | +$5.49 | −$19.51 | −$120 |
| PSA 8 | $20.00 | −$7.52 | −$32.52 | −$133 |
Net = sale price − $2.52 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% | $39.34 | −$13.18 |
| 50% | $45.68 | −$6.84 |
| 75% | $52.02 | −$0.51 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 77%. 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 | $76.00 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $58.35 | −$17.65 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $45.50 | −$30.50 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $19.99 | −$56.01 | 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 Nolan Ryan [Silver Signature] #249 — FAQ
Is Nolan Ryan [Silver Signature] #249 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Nolan Ryan [Silver Signature] #249 sells for $58.35 against $2.52 raw: a $55.83 spread, 23× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($33.01) 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 Nolan Ryan [Silver Signature] #249 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Nolan Ryan [Silver Signature] #249 (Baseball Cards 1994 Collector's Choice) sells for about $58.35 versus $2.52 for a raw near-mint copy — a 23× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Nolan Ryan [Silver Signature] #249?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $76.00, ahead of PSA 10 at $58.35. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Nolan Ryan [Silver Signature] #249 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 Nolan Ryan [Silver Signature] #249 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Nolan Ryan [Silver Signature] #249 breaks even when it gems about 77% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $33.01).
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