Is Tommy John worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1999 Sports Illustrated Greats of the Game Autographs · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Tommy John sells for $484 against $22.63 raw: a $461 spread, 21× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($91.45) 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)
- $22.63
- PSA 10
- $484
- PSA 9
- $91.45
- Gem premium
- 21×
- 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 | $484 | +$436 | +$411 | +$311 |
| PSA 9 | $91.45 | +$43.82 | +$18.82 | −$81.18 |
| PSA 8 | $46.19 | −$1.44 | −$26.44 | −$126 |
Net = sale price − $22.63 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% | $189 | +$117 |
| 50% | $288 | +$215 |
| 75% | $386 | +$313 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
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 | $629 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $484 | −$145 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $290 | −$339 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $290 | −$339 | 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 Tommy John — FAQ
Is Tommy John worth grading?
A PSA 10 Tommy John sells for $484 against $22.63 raw: a $461 spread, 21× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($91.45) 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 Tommy John worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Tommy John (Baseball Cards 1999 Sports Illustrated Greats of the Game Autographs) sells for about $484 versus $22.63 for a raw near-mint copy — a 21× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Tommy John?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $629, ahead of PSA 10 at $484. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Tommy John 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.
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