Is David Arias #518 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1997 Ultra · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 David Arias #518 sells for $1,170 against $45.00 raw: a $1,125 spread, 26× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($76.95) 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)
- $45.00
- PSA 10
- $1,170
- PSA 9
- $76.95
- Gem premium
- 26×
- 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 | $1,170 | +$1,100 | +$1,075 | +$975 |
| PSA 9 | $76.95 | +$6.95 | −$18.05 | −$118 |
| PSA 8 | $66.20 | −$3.80 | −$28.80 | −$129 |
Net = sale price − $45.00 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% | $350 | +$255 |
| 50% | $624 | +$529 |
| 75% | $897 | +$802 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 2%. 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 | $1,521 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $1,170 | −$351 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $702 | −$819 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $702 | −$819 | 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 | $1,170 | $702 | $1,521 | $702 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $183 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $76.95 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $66.20 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $53.00 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
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![David Arias [Ortiz] #518 1997 Ultra card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/OVcAAeSwtoJqUEcn/s-l500.jpg)
Grading David Arias #518 — FAQ
Is David Arias #518 worth grading?
A PSA 10 David Arias #518 sells for $1,170 against $45.00 raw: a $1,125 spread, 26× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($76.95) 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 David Arias #518 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 David Arias #518 (Baseball Cards 1997 Ultra) sells for about $1,170 versus $45.00 for a raw near-mint copy — a 26× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for David Arias #518?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $1,521, ahead of PSA 10 at $1,170. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does David Arias #518 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 David Arias #518 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting David Arias #518 breaks even when it gems about 2% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $76.95).
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.
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