![David Arias [Ortiz] #518 (Baseball Cards 1997 Ultra) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/OVcAAeSwtoJqUEcn/s-l1600.jpg)
Is David Arias [Ortiz] #518 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1997 Ultra · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 David Arias [Ortiz] #518 sells for $1,225 against $45.74 raw: a $1,179 spread, 27× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($170) 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)
- $45.74
- PSA 10
- $1,225
- PSA 9
- $170
- Gem premium
- 27×
- 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 | $1,225 | +$1,154 | +$1,129 | +$1,029 |
| PSA 9 | $170 | +$99.68 | +$74.68 | −$25.32 |
| PSA 8 | $99.63 | +$28.89 | +$3.89 | −$96.11 |
Net = sale price − $45.74 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% | $434 | +$338 |
| 50% | $698 | +$602 |
| 75% | $961 | +$866 |
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 | $1,593 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $1,225 | −$368 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $735 | −$858 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $735 | −$858 | 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 | $1,225 | $735 | $1,593 | $735 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $264 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $170 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $99.63 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $69.19 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1997 Ultra cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading David Arias [Ortiz] #518 — FAQ
Is David Arias [Ortiz] #518 worth grading?
A PSA 10 David Arias [Ortiz] #518 sells for $1,225 against $45.74 raw: a $1,179 spread, 27× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($170) 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 [Ortiz] #518 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 David Arias [Ortiz] #518 (Baseball Cards 1997 Ultra) sells for about $1,225 versus $45.74 for a raw near-mint copy — a 27× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for David Arias [Ortiz] #518?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $1,593, ahead of PSA 10 at $1,225. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does David Arias [Ortiz] #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.
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