Is Roberto Clemente #21 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1998 Topps Chrome · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Roberto Clemente #21 sells for $89.00 against $2.52 raw: a $86.48 spread, 35× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($47.99) 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
- $89.00
- PSA 9
- $47.99
- Gem premium
- 35×
- 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 | $89.00 | +$61.48 | +$36.48 | −$63.52 |
| PSA 9 | $47.99 | +$20.47 | −$4.53 | −$105 |
| PSA 8 | $10.16 | −$17.36 | −$42.36 | −$142 |
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% | $58.24 | +$5.72 |
| 50% | $68.50 | +$15.98 |
| 75% | $78.75 | +$26.23 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 11%. 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 | $116 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $89.00 | −$27.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $53.00 | −$63.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $53.00 | −$63.00 | 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.
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Grading Roberto Clemente #21 — FAQ
Is Roberto Clemente #21 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Roberto Clemente #21 sells for $89.00 against $2.52 raw: a $86.48 spread, 35× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($47.99) 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 Roberto Clemente #21 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Roberto Clemente #21 (Baseball Cards 1998 Topps Chrome) sells for about $89.00 versus $2.52 for a raw near-mint copy — a 35× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Roberto Clemente #21?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $116, ahead of PSA 10 at $89.00. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Roberto Clemente #21 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 Roberto Clemente #21 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Roberto Clemente #21 breaks even when it gems about 11% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $47.99).
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