Is Steve Carlton #54 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 2002 Topps Archives Reserve · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 41× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Steve Carlton #54 sells for $48.04 against $1.17 raw: a $46.87 spread, 41× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($13.48) 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)
- $1.17
- PSA 10
- $48.04
- PSA 9
- $13.48
- Gem premium
- 41×
- 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 | $48.04 | +$21.87 | −$3.13 | −$103 |
| PSA 9 | $13.48 | −$12.69 | −$37.69 | −$138 |
| PSA 8 | $6.88 | −$19.29 | −$44.29 | −$144 |
Net = sale price − $1.17 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% | $22.12 | −$29.05 |
| 50% | $30.76 | −$20.41 |
| 75% | $39.40 | −$11.77 |
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 | $62.00 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $48.04 | −$13.96 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $29.00 | −$33.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $29.00 | −$33.00 | 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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Other 2002 Topps Archives Reserve cards worth checking
Full set checklist →Grading Steve Carlton #54 — FAQ
Is Steve Carlton #54 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Steve Carlton #54 sells for $48.04 against $1.17 raw: a $46.87 spread, 41× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($13.48) 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 #54 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Steve Carlton #54 (Baseball Cards 2002 Topps Archives Reserve) sells for about $48.04 versus $1.17 for a raw near-mint copy — a 41× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Steve Carlton #54?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $62.00, ahead of PSA 10 at $48.04. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Steve Carlton #54 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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