
Is Tim Wakefield #22 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1996 Metal Universe · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Tim Wakefield #22 sells for $144 against $1.75 raw: a $142 spread, 82× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($120) 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)
- $1.75
- PSA 10
- $144
- PSA 9
- $120
- Gem premium
- 82×
- 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 | $144 | +$117 | +$92.25 | −$7.75 |
| PSA 9 | $120 | +$93.25 | +$68.25 | −$31.75 |
| PSA 8 | $5.99 | −$20.76 | −$45.76 | −$146 |
Net = sale price − $1.75 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% | $126 | +$74.25 |
| 50% | $132 | +$80.25 |
| 75% | $138 | +$86.25 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
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 | $187 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $144 | −$43.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $86.00 | −$101 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $86.00 | −$101 | 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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Other 1996 Metal Universe cards worth checking
Full set checklist →Grading Tim Wakefield #22 — FAQ
Is Tim Wakefield #22 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Tim Wakefield #22 sells for $144 against $1.75 raw: a $142 spread, 82× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($120) 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 Tim Wakefield #22 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Tim Wakefield #22 (Baseball Cards 1996 Metal Universe) sells for about $144 versus $1.75 for a raw near-mint copy — a 82× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Tim Wakefield #22?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $187, ahead of PSA 10 at $144. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Tim Wakefield #22 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.
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