Is Steve Carlton #89ASA-SC worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 2024 Topps 1989 All-Star Autograph · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 4.0× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Steve Carlton #89ASA-SC sells for $122 against $30.32 raw: a $91.44 spread, 4.0× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($49.61) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $30.32
- PSA 10
- $122
- PSA 9
- $49.61
- 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 | $122 | +$66.44 | +$41.44 | −$58.56 |
| PSA 9 | $49.61 | −$5.71 | −$30.71 | −$131 |
| PSA 8 | $29.72 | −$25.60 | −$50.60 | −$151 |
Net = sale price − $30.32 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% | $67.65 | −$12.67 |
| 50% | $85.69 | +$5.37 |
| 75% | $104 | +$23.40 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 43%. 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 | $158 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $122 | −$36.24 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $73.00 | −$85.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $73.00 | −$85.00 | 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 #89ASA-SC — FAQ
Is Steve Carlton #89ASA-SC worth grading?
A PSA 10 Steve Carlton #89ASA-SC sells for $122 against $30.32 raw: a $91.44 spread, 4.0× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($49.61) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
How much is a PSA 10 Steve Carlton #89ASA-SC worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Steve Carlton #89ASA-SC (Baseball Cards 2024 Topps 1989 All-Star Autograph) sells for about $122 versus $30.32 for a raw near-mint copy — a 4.0× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Steve Carlton #89ASA-SC?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $158, ahead of PSA 10 at $122. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Steve Carlton #89ASA-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 #89ASA-SC break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Steve Carlton #89ASA-SC breaks even when it gems about 43% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $49.61).
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