Is Juan Gonzalez #5 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1997 Ultra Thunderclap · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Juan Gonzalez #5 sells for $198 against $4.31 raw: a $194 spread, 46× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($180) 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)
- $4.31
- Grade 9.5
- $198
- PSA 9
- $180
- Gem premium
- 46×
- As of
- Sep 4, 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 | $198 | +$169 | +$144 | +$43.69 |
| PSA 9 | $180 | +$151 | +$126 | +$25.68 |
| PSA 8 | $15.25 | −$14.06 | −$39.06 | −$139 |
Net = sale price − $4.31 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% | $184 | +$130 |
| 50% | $189 | +$135 |
| 75% | $193 | +$139 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
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Grading Juan Gonzalez #5 — FAQ
Is Juan Gonzalez #5 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Juan Gonzalez #5 sells for $198 against $4.31 raw: a $194 spread, 46× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($180) 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.
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