Is Richie Sexson / Daryle Ward / David Ortiz #257 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1998 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Richie Sexson / Daryle Ward / David Ortiz #257 sells for $103 against $2.99 raw: a $99.64 spread, 34× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($32.95) 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)
- $2.99
- PSA 10
- $103
- PSA 9
- $32.95
- Gem premium
- 34×
- 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 | $103 | +$74.64 | +$49.64 | −$50.36 |
| PSA 9 | $32.95 | +$4.96 | −$20.04 | −$120 |
| PSA 8 | $16.50 | −$11.49 | −$36.49 | −$136 |
Net = sale price − $2.99 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% | $50.37 | −$2.62 |
| 50% | $67.79 | +$14.80 |
| 75% | $85.21 | +$32.22 |
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 | $133 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $103 | −$30.37 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $62.00 | −$71.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $62.00 | −$71.00 | 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 | $103 | $62.00 | $133 | $62.00 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $71.04 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $32.95 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $16.50 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $5.96 |
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 Richie Sexson / Daryle Ward / David Ortiz #257 — FAQ
Is Richie Sexson / Daryle Ward / David Ortiz #257 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Richie Sexson / Daryle Ward / David Ortiz #257 sells for $103 against $2.99 raw: a $99.64 spread, 34× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($32.95) 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 Richie Sexson / Daryle Ward / David Ortiz #257 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Richie Sexson / Daryle Ward / David Ortiz #257 (Baseball Cards 1998 Topps) sells for about $103 versus $2.99 for a raw near-mint copy — a 34× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Richie Sexson / Daryle Ward / David Ortiz #257?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $133, ahead of PSA 10 at $103. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Richie Sexson / Daryle Ward / David Ortiz #257 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 Richie Sexson / Daryle Ward / David Ortiz #257 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Richie Sexson / Daryle Ward / David Ortiz #257 breaks even when it gems about 29% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $32.95).
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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