Is Nomar Garciaparra #38B worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1999 Topps Tek Gold · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Nomar Garciaparra #38B sells for $52.00 against $11.80 raw: a $40.20 spread, 4.4× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($46.89) 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)
- $11.80
- Grade 9.5
- $52.00
- PSA 9
- $46.89
- Gem premium
- 4.4×
- 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 — Grade 9.5 | $52.00 | +$15.20 | −$9.80 | −$110 |
| PSA 9 | $46.89 | +$10.09 | −$14.91 | −$115 |
Net = sale price − $11.80 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% | $48.17 | −$13.63 |
| 50% | $49.45 | −$12.36 |
| 75% | $50.72 | −$11.08 |
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 Nomar Garciaparra #38B — FAQ
Is Nomar Garciaparra #38B worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Nomar Garciaparra #38B sells for $52.00 against $11.80 raw: a $40.20 spread, 4.4× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($46.89) 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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