![Matt Cain [Gold] #636 (Baseball Cards 2006 Topps) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/AwkAAeSwOKhqYsRD/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Matt Cain [Gold] #636 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 2006 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Matt Cain [Gold] #636 sells for $149 against $5.46 raw: a $144 spread, 27× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($48.67) 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)
- $5.46
- PSA 10
- $149
- PSA 9
- $48.67
- Gem premium
- 27×
- As of
- Sep 3, 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 | $149 | +$119 | +$93.54 | −$6.46 |
| PSA 9 | $48.67 | +$18.21 | −$6.79 | −$107 |
Net = sale price − $5.46 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% | $73.75 | +$18.29 |
| 50% | $98.84 | +$43.38 |
| 75% | $124 | +$68.46 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 7%. 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 | $194 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $149 | −$45.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $89.00 | −$105 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $89.00 | −$105 | 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.
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Grading Matt Cain [Gold] #636 — FAQ
Is Matt Cain [Gold] #636 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Matt Cain [Gold] #636 sells for $149 against $5.46 raw: a $144 spread, 27× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($48.67) 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.
How much is a PSA 10 Matt Cain [Gold] #636 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Matt Cain [Gold] #636 (Baseball Cards 2006 Topps) sells for about $149 versus $5.46 for a raw near-mint copy — a 27× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Matt Cain [Gold] #636?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $194, ahead of PSA 10 at $149. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Matt Cain [Gold] #636 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 Matt Cain [Gold] #636 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Matt Cain [Gold] #636 breaks even when it gems about 7% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $48.67).
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