Is Carlos Delgado #49 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1998 Donruss Crusade · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Carlos Delgado #49 sells for $135 against $74.88 raw: a $60.12 spread, 1.8× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($123) 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)
- $74.88
- Grade 9.5
- $135
- PSA 9
- $123
- Gem premium
- 1.8×
- 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 — Grade 9.5 | $135 | +$35.12 | +$10.12 | −$89.88 |
| PSA 9 | $123 | +$23.12 | −$1.88 | −$102 |
Net = sale price − $74.88 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% | $126 | +$1.12 |
| 50% | $129 | +$4.12 |
| 75% | $132 | +$7.12 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 16%. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses — measure it before you decide.
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Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
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Grading Carlos Delgado #49 — FAQ
Is Carlos Delgado #49 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Carlos Delgado #49 sells for $135 against $74.88 raw: a $60.12 spread, 1.8× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($123) 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.
What gem rate makes grading Carlos Delgado #49 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Carlos Delgado #49 breaks even when it gems about 16% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $123).
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