Is Paul Skenes #T89CU-21 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 2024 Topps Update 1989 Chrome Silver Pack · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 4.1× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Paul Skenes #T89CU-21 sells for $122 against $29.60 raw: a $92.88 spread, 4.1× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($38.00) 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)
- $29.60
- PSA 10
- $122
- PSA 9
- $38.00
- Gem premium
- 4.1×
- 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 | $122 | +$67.88 | +$42.88 | −$57.12 |
| PSA 9 | $38.00 | −$16.60 | −$41.60 | −$142 |
| PSA 8 | $23.50 | −$31.10 | −$56.10 | −$156 |
Net = sale price − $29.60 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% | $59.12 | −$20.48 |
| 50% | $80.24 | +$0.64 |
| 75% | $101 | +$21.76 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 49%. 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 | $159 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $122 | −$36.52 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $73.00 | −$86.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $41.08 | −$118 | 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 | $122 | $73.00 | $159 | $41.08 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $48.00 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $38.00 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $23.50 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Grading Paul Skenes #T89CU-21 — FAQ
Is Paul Skenes #T89CU-21 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Paul Skenes #T89CU-21 sells for $122 against $29.60 raw: a $92.88 spread, 4.1× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($38.00) 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 #T89CU-21 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Paul Skenes #T89CU-21 (Baseball Cards 2024 Topps Update 1989 Chrome Silver Pack) sells for about $122 versus $29.60 for a raw near-mint copy — a 4.1× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Paul Skenes #T89CU-21?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $159, ahead of PSA 10 at $122. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Paul Skenes #T89CU-21 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 #T89CU-21 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Paul Skenes #T89CU-21 breaks even when it gems about 49% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $38.00).
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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