Is Curtis Mead #T89C-53 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 2024 Topps 1989 Chrome Silver Pack · full price guide →
Grading rarely pays for this card
PSA 10 copies of Curtis Mead #T89C-53 sell for $7.09, only $5.51 above the $1.58 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($2.85) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
- Raw (NM)
- $1.58
- PSA 10
- $7.09
- PSA 9
- $2.85
- Gem premium
- 4.5×
- 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 | $7.09 | −$19.49 | −$44.49 | −$144 |
| PSA 9 | $2.85 | −$23.73 | −$48.73 | −$149 |
| PSA 8 | $1.50 | −$25.08 | −$50.08 | −$150 |
Net = sale price − $1.58 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% | $3.91 | −$47.67 |
| 50% | $4.97 | −$46.61 |
| 75% | $6.03 | −$45.55 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
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 | $9.00 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $7.09 | −$1.91 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $4.00 | −$5.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $4.00 | −$5.00 | 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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Raw conditions & history →Swipe the table for the other grading companies →
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Other 2024 Topps 1989 Chrome Silver Pack cards worth checking
Full set checklist →Grading Curtis Mead #T89C-53 — FAQ
Is Curtis Mead #T89C-53 worth grading?
PSA 10 copies of Curtis Mead #T89C-53 sell for $7.09, only $5.51 above the $1.58 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($2.85) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
How much is a PSA 10 Curtis Mead #T89C-53 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Curtis Mead #T89C-53 (Baseball Cards 2024 Topps 1989 Chrome Silver Pack) sells for about $7.09 versus $1.58 for a raw near-mint copy — a 4.5× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Curtis Mead #T89C-53?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $9.00, ahead of PSA 10 at $7.09. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Curtis Mead #T89C-53 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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