Is Steve Carlton #89BA-SC worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 2024 Topps 1989 Autograph · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Steve Carlton #89BA-SC sells for $109 against $27.50 raw: a $81.91 spread, 4.0× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($57.00) 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)
- $27.50
- PSA 10
- $109
- PSA 9
- $57.00
- Gem premium
- 4.0×
- 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 — PSA 10 | $109 | +$56.91 | +$31.91 | −$68.09 |
| PSA 9 | $57.00 | +$4.50 | −$20.50 | −$121 |
| PSA 8 | $52.00 | −$0.50 | −$25.50 | −$126 |
Net = sale price − $27.50 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% | $70.10 | −$7.40 |
| 50% | $83.20 | +$5.70 |
| 75% | $96.31 | +$18.81 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 39%. 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 | $142 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $109 | −$32.59 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $66.00 | −$76.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $66.00 | −$76.00 | 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 Steve Carlton #89BA-SC — FAQ
Is Steve Carlton #89BA-SC worth grading?
A PSA 10 Steve Carlton #89BA-SC sells for $109 against $27.50 raw: a $81.91 spread, 4.0× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($57.00) 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.
How much is a PSA 10 Steve Carlton #89BA-SC worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Steve Carlton #89BA-SC (Baseball Cards 2024 Topps 1989 Autograph) sells for about $109 versus $27.50 for a raw near-mint copy — a 4.0× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Steve Carlton #89BA-SC?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $142, ahead of PSA 10 at $109. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Steve Carlton #89BA-SC 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 Steve Carlton #89BA-SC break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Steve Carlton #89BA-SC breaks even when it gems about 39% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $57.00).
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