Is Billy Wagner #425 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1996 Collector's Choice · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 58× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Billy Wagner #425 sells for $57.77 against $0.99 raw: a $56.78 spread, 58× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($24.50) 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)
- $0.99
- PSA 10
- $57.77
- PSA 9
- $24.50
- Gem premium
- 58×
- 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 | $57.77 | +$31.78 | +$6.78 | −$93.22 |
| PSA 9 | $24.50 | −$1.49 | −$26.49 | −$126 |
| PSA 8 | $16.99 | −$9.00 | −$34.00 | −$134 |
Net = sale price − $0.99 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% | $32.82 | −$18.17 |
| 50% | $41.14 | −$9.85 |
| 75% | $49.45 | −$1.54 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 80%. 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 | $75.00 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $57.77 | −$17.23 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $35.00 | −$40.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $35.00 | −$40.00 | 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 →Swipe the table for the other grading companies →
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1996 Collector's Choice cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
![Derek Jeter [Gold Signature] #231 1996 Collector's Choice card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/TJYAAeSwto1qDS0N/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Billy Wagner #425 — FAQ
Is Billy Wagner #425 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Billy Wagner #425 sells for $57.77 against $0.99 raw: a $56.78 spread, 58× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($24.50) 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 Billy Wagner #425 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Billy Wagner #425 (Baseball Cards 1996 Collector's Choice) sells for about $57.77 versus $0.99 for a raw near-mint copy — a 58× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Billy Wagner #425?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $75.00, ahead of PSA 10 at $57.77. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Billy Wagner #425 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 Billy Wagner #425 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Billy Wagner #425 breaks even when it gems about 80% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $24.50).
Best on iPhone & Android
Check your baseball card in the Midpoint app
Scan with your camera to measure centering to the millimeter, get an AI grade with corner and edge close-ups, see what your copy is worth, and track it in your portfolio. Free to start.
