![Paul Skenes [First Card] #US288 (Baseball Cards 2024 Topps Update) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/TXYAAeSwpfRqZr0u/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Paul Skenes [First Card] #US288 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 2024 Topps Update · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 24× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Paul Skenes [First Card] #US288 sells for $84.71 against $3.53 raw: a $81.18 spread, 24× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($25.00) 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)
- $3.53
- PSA 10
- $84.71
- PSA 9
- $25.00
- Gem premium
- 24×
- As of
- Jul 11, 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 | $84.71 | +$56.18 | +$31.18 | −$68.82 |
| PSA 9 | $25.00 | −$3.53 | −$28.53 | −$129 |
| PSA 8 | $9.15 | −$19.38 | −$44.38 | −$144 |
Net = sale price − $3.53 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% | $39.93 | −$13.60 |
| 50% | $54.85 | +$1.32 |
| 75% | $69.78 | +$16.25 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 48%. 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 | $110 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $84.71 | −$25.29 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $40.00 | −$70.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $35.00 | −$75.00 | 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.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | PSA | CGC | BGS | SGC | Graded |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $84.71 | $35.00 | $110 | $40.00 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $36.50 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $25.00 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $9.15 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
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Grading Paul Skenes [First Card] #US288 — FAQ
Is Paul Skenes [First Card] #US288 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Paul Skenes [First Card] #US288 sells for $84.71 against $3.53 raw: a $81.18 spread, 24× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($25.00) 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 [First Card] #US288 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Paul Skenes [First Card] #US288 (Baseball Cards 2024 Topps Update) sells for about $84.71 versus $3.53 for a raw near-mint copy — a 24× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Paul Skenes [First Card] #US288?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $110, ahead of PSA 10 at $84.71. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Paul Skenes [First Card] #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 [First Card] #US288 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Paul Skenes [First Card] #US288 breaks even when it gems about 48% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $25.00).
Is your baseball card centered well enough to grade?
Centering makes or breaks a PSA 10. Scan any card with Midpoint to measure its exact centering, get a grade estimate, and see what your copy is actually worth.
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