![Mark Melancon [Autograph] (Baseball Cards 2009 Topps Chrome) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/7u8AAeSw9zpqFm41/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Mark Melancon [Autograph] worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 2009 Topps Chrome · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 9.9× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Mark Melancon [Autograph] sells for $68.22 against $6.89 raw: a $61.33 spread, 9.9× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($20.84) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $6.89
- PSA 10
- $68.22
- PSA 9
- $20.84
- Gem premium
- 9.9×
- 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 | $68.22 | +$36.33 | +$11.33 | −$88.67 |
| PSA 9 | $20.84 | −$11.05 | −$36.05 | −$136 |
| PSA 8 | $12.23 | −$19.66 | −$44.66 | −$145 |
Net = sale price − $6.89 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% | $32.69 | −$24.20 |
| 50% | $44.53 | −$12.36 |
| 75% | $56.38 | −$0.52 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 76%. 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 | $89.00 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $68.22 | −$20.78 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $41.00 | −$48.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $41.00 | −$48.00 | 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 | $68.22 | $41.00 | $89.00 | $41.00 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $23.00 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $20.84 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $12.23 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 2009 Topps Chrome cards worth checking
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![David Freese [Autograph] #230 2009 Topps Chrome card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/L3MAAeSwdqlqXpmw/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Mark Melancon [Autograph] — FAQ
Is Mark Melancon [Autograph] worth grading?
A PSA 10 Mark Melancon [Autograph] sells for $68.22 against $6.89 raw: a $61.33 spread, 9.9× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($20.84) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
How much is a PSA 10 Mark Melancon [Autograph] worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Mark Melancon [Autograph] (Baseball Cards 2009 Topps Chrome) sells for about $68.22 versus $6.89 for a raw near-mint copy — a 9.9× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Mark Melancon [Autograph]?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $89.00, ahead of PSA 10 at $68.22. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Mark Melancon [Autograph] 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 Mark Melancon [Autograph] break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Mark Melancon [Autograph] breaks even when it gems about 76% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $20.84).
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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