![Jose Quintana [Gold Sparkle] #US257 (Baseball Cards 2012 Topps Update) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/mlwAAeSw6PpqZqea/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Jose Quintana [Gold Sparkle] #US257 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 2012 Topps Update · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 78× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Jose Quintana [Gold Sparkle] #US257 sells for $195 against $2.49 raw: a $193 spread, 78× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($11.29) 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)
- $2.49
- PSA 10
- $195
- PSA 9
- $11.29
- Gem premium
- 78×
- 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 | $195 | +$168 | +$143 | +$42.51 |
| PSA 9 | $11.29 | −$16.20 | −$41.20 | −$141 |
Net = sale price − $2.49 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% | $57.22 | +$4.73 |
| 50% | $103 | +$50.66 |
| 75% | $149 | +$96.58 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 22%. 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 | $254 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $195 | −$59.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $117 | −$137 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $117 | −$137 | 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 | $195 | $117 | $254 | $117 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $12.00 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $11.29 |
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 Jose Quintana [Gold Sparkle] #US257 — FAQ
Is Jose Quintana [Gold Sparkle] #US257 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Jose Quintana [Gold Sparkle] #US257 sells for $195 against $2.49 raw: a $193 spread, 78× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($11.29) 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 Jose Quintana [Gold Sparkle] #US257 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Jose Quintana [Gold Sparkle] #US257 (Baseball Cards 2012 Topps Update) sells for about $195 versus $2.49 for a raw near-mint copy — a 78× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Jose Quintana [Gold Sparkle] #US257?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $254, ahead of PSA 10 at $195. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Jose Quintana [Gold Sparkle] #US257 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 Jose Quintana [Gold Sparkle] #US257 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Jose Quintana [Gold Sparkle] #US257 breaks even when it gems about 22% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $11.29).
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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