Is Jim Kaat #638 worth grading?
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Strong grading candidate — 7.9× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Jim Kaat #638 sells for $68.21 against $8.61 raw: a $59.60 spread, 7.9× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($23.40) 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)
- $8.61
- PSA 10
- $68.21
- PSA 9
- $23.40
- Gem premium
- 7.9×
- 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 | $68.21 | +$34.60 | +$9.60 | −$90.40 |
| PSA 9 | $23.40 | −$10.21 | −$35.21 | −$135 |
| PSA 8 | $12.74 | −$20.87 | −$45.87 | −$146 |
Net = sale price − $8.61 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% | $34.60 | −$24.01 |
| 50% | $45.80 | −$12.81 |
| 75% | $57.01 | −$1.60 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 79%. 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 | $89.00 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $68.21 | −$20.79 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $41.00 | −$48.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $41.00 | −$48.00 | 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 Jim Kaat #638 — FAQ
Is Jim Kaat #638 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Jim Kaat #638 sells for $68.21 against $8.61 raw: a $59.60 spread, 7.9× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($23.40) 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 Jim Kaat #638 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Jim Kaat #638 (Baseball Cards 2026 Topps Heritage 50th Anniversary Buybacks) sells for about $68.21 versus $8.61 for a raw near-mint copy — a 7.9× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Jim Kaat #638?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $89.00, ahead of PSA 10 at $68.21. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Jim Kaat #638 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 Jim Kaat #638 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Jim Kaat #638 breaks even when it gems about 79% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $23.40).
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