Is Eric Hosmer [Red Border] #US155 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 2011 Topps Update · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Eric Hosmer [Red Border] #US155 sells for $79.99 against $6.10 raw: a $73.89 spread, 13× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($40.00) 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)
- $6.10
- Grade 9.5
- $79.99
- PSA 9
- $40.00
- Gem premium
- 13×
- 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 — Grade 9.5 | $79.99 | +$48.89 | +$23.89 | −$76.11 |
| PSA 9 | $40.00 | +$8.90 | −$16.10 | −$116 |
Net = sale price − $6.10 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% | $50.00 | −$6.10 |
| 50% | $59.99 | +$3.89 |
| 75% | $69.99 | +$13.89 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 40%. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses — measure it before you decide.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | Graded |
|---|---|
| 9.5 | $79.99 |
| 9 | $40.00 |
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 Eric Hosmer [Red Border] #US155 — FAQ
Is Eric Hosmer [Red Border] #US155 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Eric Hosmer [Red Border] #US155 sells for $79.99 against $6.10 raw: a $73.89 spread, 13× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($40.00) 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.
What gem rate makes grading Eric Hosmer [Red Border] #US155 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Eric Hosmer [Red Border] #US155 breaks even when it gems about 40% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $40.00).
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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