Is Tony Gwynn #1 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1998 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Tony Gwynn #1 sells for $112 against $1.82 raw: a $110 spread, 61× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($27.49) 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)
- $1.82
- PSA 10
- $112
- PSA 9
- $27.49
- Gem premium
- 61×
- 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 | $112 | +$84.87 | +$59.87 | −$40.13 |
| PSA 9 | $27.49 | +$0.67 | −$24.33 | −$124 |
| PSA 8 | $8.69 | −$18.13 | −$43.13 | −$143 |
Net = sale price − $1.82 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% | $48.54 | −$3.28 |
| 50% | $69.59 | +$17.77 |
| 75% | $90.64 | +$38.82 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 29%. 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 | $145 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $112 | −$33.31 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $67.00 | −$78.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $67.00 | −$78.00 | 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 →| Grade | PSA | CGC | BGS | SGC | Graded |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $112 | $67.00 | $145 | $67.00 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $30.00 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $27.49 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $8.69 |
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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Grading Tony Gwynn #1 — FAQ
Is Tony Gwynn #1 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Tony Gwynn #1 sells for $112 against $1.82 raw: a $110 spread, 61× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($27.49) 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 Tony Gwynn #1 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Tony Gwynn #1 (Baseball Cards 1998 Topps) sells for about $112 versus $1.82 for a raw near-mint copy — a 61× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Tony Gwynn #1?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $145, ahead of PSA 10 at $112. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Tony Gwynn #1 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 Tony Gwynn #1 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Tony Gwynn #1 breaks even when it gems about 29% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $27.49).
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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