Is Carl Pavano / Gil Meche / Kerry Wood [Diamondbacks Inaugural] #256 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1998 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Carl Pavano / Gil Meche / Kerry Wood [Diamondbacks Inaugural] #256 sells for $49.00 against $1.46 raw: a $47.54 spread, 34× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($44.34) 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)
- $1.46
- Grade 9.5
- $49.00
- PSA 9
- $44.34
- Gem premium
- 34×
- As of
- Sep 3, 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 | $49.00 | +$22.54 | −$2.46 | −$102 |
| PSA 9 | $44.34 | +$17.88 | −$7.12 | −$107 |
Net = sale price − $1.46 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% | $45.51 | −$5.95 |
| 50% | $46.67 | −$4.79 |
| 75% | $47.84 | −$3.63 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
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Grading Carl Pavano / Gil Meche / Kerry Wood [Diamondbacks Inaugural] #256 — FAQ
Is Carl Pavano / Gil Meche / Kerry Wood [Diamondbacks Inaugural] #256 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Carl Pavano / Gil Meche / Kerry Wood [Diamondbacks Inaugural] #256 sells for $49.00 against $1.46 raw: a $47.54 spread, 34× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($44.34) 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.
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