![Paul Skenes [Independence Day] #US288 (Baseball Cards 2024 Topps Update) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/ksUAAeSw0VtqUOWr/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Paul Skenes [Independence Day] #US288 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 2024 Topps Update · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 3.7× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Paul Skenes [Independence Day] #US288 sells for $648 against $176 raw: a $472 spread, 3.7× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($200) 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)
- $176
- PSA 10
- $648
- PSA 9
- $200
- Gem premium
- 3.7×
- 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 | $648 | +$447 | +$422 | +$322 |
| PSA 9 | $200 | −$1.27 | −$26.27 | −$126 |
| PSA 8 | $175 | −$26.19 | −$51.19 | −$151 |
Net = sale price − $176 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% | $312 | +$85.73 |
| 50% | $424 | +$198 |
| 75% | $536 | +$310 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 6%. 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 | $842 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $648 | −$194 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $389 | −$453 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $389 | −$453 | 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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Grading Paul Skenes [Independence Day] #US288 — FAQ
Is Paul Skenes [Independence Day] #US288 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Paul Skenes [Independence Day] #US288 sells for $648 against $176 raw: a $472 spread, 3.7× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($200) 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 Paul Skenes [Independence Day] #US288 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Paul Skenes [Independence Day] #US288 (Baseball Cards 2024 Topps Update) sells for about $648 versus $176 for a raw near-mint copy — a 3.7× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Paul Skenes [Independence Day] #US288?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $842, ahead of PSA 10 at $648. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Paul Skenes [Independence Day] #US288 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 Paul Skenes [Independence Day] #US288 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Paul Skenes [Independence Day] #US288 breaks even when it gems about 6% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $200).
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