Is Nolan Ryan #1 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 2001 Upper Deck Decade 1970's · full price guide →
Worth grading only if it gems
A PSA 10 Nolan Ryan #1 brings $30.99 versus $1.97 raw — a $29.02 spread that covers an economy-tier ~$25 grading fee. A PSA 9 ($19.00) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming.
- Raw (NM)
- $1.97
- PSA 10
- $30.99
- PSA 9
- $19.00
- Gem premium
- 16×
- 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 | $30.99 | +$4.02 | −$20.98 | −$121 |
| PSA 9 | $19.00 | −$7.97 | −$32.97 | −$133 |
| PSA 8 | $17.38 | −$9.59 | −$34.59 | −$135 |
Net = sale price − $1.97 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% | $22.00 | −$29.97 |
| 50% | $24.99 | −$26.98 |
| 75% | $27.99 | −$23.98 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
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 | $40.00 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $30.99 | −$9.01 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $19.00 | −$21.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $19.00 | −$21.00 | 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 | $30.99 | $19.00 | $40.00 | $19.00 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $29.26 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $19.00 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $17.38 |
Run your own numbers
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Grading Nolan Ryan #1 — FAQ
Is Nolan Ryan #1 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Nolan Ryan #1 brings $30.99 versus $1.97 raw — a $29.02 spread that covers an economy-tier ~$25 grading fee. A PSA 9 ($19.00) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming.
How much is a PSA 10 Nolan Ryan #1 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Nolan Ryan #1 (Baseball Cards 2001 Upper Deck Decade 1970's) sells for about $30.99 versus $1.97 for a raw near-mint copy — a 16× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Nolan Ryan #1?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $40.00, ahead of PSA 10 at $30.99. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Nolan Ryan #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.
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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