Is Shota Imanaga [Blue] #BG-18 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 2024 Topps Update Black Gold · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 8.5× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Shota Imanaga [Blue] #BG-18 sells for $49.31 against $5.81 raw: a $43.50 spread, 8.5× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($24.99) 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)
- $5.81
- PSA 10
- $49.31
- PSA 9
- $24.99
- Gem premium
- 8.5×
- 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 | $49.31 | +$18.50 | −$6.50 | −$107 |
| PSA 9 | $24.99 | −$5.82 | −$30.82 | −$131 |
| PSA 8 | $6.50 | −$24.31 | −$49.31 | −$149 |
Net = sale price − $5.81 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% | $31.07 | −$24.74 |
| 50% | $37.15 | −$18.66 |
| 75% | $43.23 | −$12.58 |
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 | $64.00 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $49.31 | −$14.69 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $30.00 | −$34.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $30.00 | −$34.00 | 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 Shota Imanaga [Blue] #BG-18 — FAQ
Is Shota Imanaga [Blue] #BG-18 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Shota Imanaga [Blue] #BG-18 sells for $49.31 against $5.81 raw: a $43.50 spread, 8.5× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($24.99) 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 Shota Imanaga [Blue] #BG-18 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Shota Imanaga [Blue] #BG-18 (Baseball Cards 2024 Topps Update Black Gold) sells for about $49.31 versus $5.81 for a raw near-mint copy — a 8.5× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Shota Imanaga [Blue] #BG-18?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $64.00, ahead of PSA 10 at $49.31. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Shota Imanaga [Blue] #BG-18 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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